As Broadcasters Begin Digital Transmission, Video Research Is Ready To Measure Digital Broadcasting Audiences

3-Apr-00

Video Research Ltd., Japan's leading media and marketing research and consulting company, announced the rollout of a digital broadcasting audience measurement service nationwide in Japan beginning December 2000, when broadcasters begin transmission. Over 1,000 channels can be measured with the new People Meter. Official ratings data will be available for subscription services upon consensus among industry members including TV stations, advertising agencies and advertisers. With the approval by the Ministry of Postal and Telecommunications, broadcast operating companies will begin transmitting programs digitally via satellite in December 2000. Video Research will follow schedule beginning measurement of digital broadcast audiences immediately thereafter. Video Research's new People Meter was developed and ready to begin audience measurement in 1999, but awaiting start of commercial digital broadcasting. Video Research currently measures 26 areas with 600 People Meters and 5,100 household meters in Japan. In total, these 5,700 meters installed throughout Japan's major metropolitan areas measure conventional terrestrial TV along with both DBS and CATV audiences. They also measure the use of virtually all peripheral equipment such as VCR's, TV Internet access, and video game machines. The new People Meter to be rolled out in December also measures digital broadcast and will eventually replace all existing meters as digital broadcasting subscribers increase and other electronic media converge. Video Research will conduct real-time demonstrations of the new meter during the National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas, April 10-13. Also, the new meter will exhibit during the Advertising Research Foundation(ARF)/European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR) Conference in Florida, May 7-9. Video Research is currently the leading media and marketing research and consulting company in Japan. With 37 years of experience and a nationwide network, Video Research provides a variety of research, marketing and consulting services with respect to authoritative media, as well as syndicated and custom consumer marketing research. Video Research's proprietary People Meters and Set Meters are implemented throughout Japan producing more than a 99 percent response rate. The data is the standard for the industry.