OzTAM measures co-viewing in a BVOD world

OzTAM is now measuring co-viewing in its reporting of Broadcast Video on Demand (both Live / On Demand).

A new people-based ‘BVOD Audience’ figure will replace the device-based ‘VPM Rating’ in the BVOD top program reports posted to OzTAM’s website. This equates to an additional 20-25% of BVOD viewing that was not previously reported.

With Connected TVs (CTV) now in 48% of Australian homes, co-viewing data captures more than 1 viewer per device. CTV viewing accounts for approximately 50% of BVOD consumption, and up to 95% of that occurs with one, two or three people watching.

Similarly, a ‘stream starts’ (device) metric has been replaced with ‘BVOD Reach’ (people count).

OzTAM CEO Doug Peiffer said: “We know from our technology, the robust OzTAM panel and our demographic modelling that many people watch TV together on the biggest and best screen in the home.

“Increasingly, that’s a connected TV, as 48% of Australian households now have at least one.

“VPM co-viewing enables us to report that shared BVOD consumption, taking us beyond a 1:1 people-to-device ratio to now model the size of overall BVOD viewership, and uncovering 20-25% of the BVOD audience that until now was not reported.”

Australia’s forthcoming Total TV database, Virtual Australia (‘VOZ’), which was delayed due to the pandemic, is in the final stages of preparation for launch. VOZ will report broadcast viewing on TV sets (OzTAM and Regional TAM TV ratings) and connected devices (OzTAM’s VPM Report).

“Co-viewing provides a valuable new dimension to the BVOD audience, expanding on the VPM demographic profiles OzTAM introduced early last year and illustrating the overall size and reach of broadcast viewing across all devices that VOZ reveals,” Peiffer said.