Advertising Agencies will be able to choose the radio ratings software they want to use.
Earlier this year radioinfo reported on the biggest changes to radio surveys, as discussed by Commerical Radio Australia’s Joan Warner at this year’s Radio Asia conference. Soon advertising agencies and radio stations will no longer be tied to a single radio analysis software package wth CRA announcing that it has started the process for Gold Standard Accreditation of radio audience measurement software.
From 1 January 2014, when audience measurement provider, GfK, commences the new contract for radio audience survey measurement in Australia, subscribers will be able to access a range of Gold Standard accredited software packages for use with radio survey data.
Currently, all subscribers of radio audience measurement data are only permitted to use Nielsen’s Radio Advisor software. Gold Standard accredited software will use a common calculation base and standard industry language, terms and parameters.
Some of these new changes in measurement reporting include an eDiary system and giving GfK field staff access to new automated fieldwork tools which will allow them to respond quickly to under reporting in any areas. There will also be an online interactive audience research ‘insights’ panel of 5000 people across the country, which will allow the radio industry to find out more about its audience and changing consumption habits. Integrated with GfK’s global data on what electronic equipment consumers are buying, this area of the survey contract will allow radio stations to track consumption trends and respond quickly.
CRA’s CEO Joan Warner said: “The industry has introduced the Gold Standard accreditation to open up the radio analysis software market to ensure choice for advertising and media agencies, advertisers and radio stations using radio audience data. This will enable agencies to integrate radio analysis into their current software systems, while still providing consistent calculations.”
The new three year radio audience contract with GfK introduces an e-diary for computers, tablets and mobile phones, synchronised across the platforms and compatible with all operating systems. GfK is currently conducting industry parallel pilot testing to ensure validity of the new processes when the contract commences in 2014.
Beginning today 16 August, organisations can apply for Gold Standard certification by emailing [email protected]
A full list of certified software suppliers will be made available on the CRA website in fourth quarter of this year after the initial round of accreditation.