Seven exec weighs in on “archaic linear overnight ratings reports”
The move to VOZ numbers as a daily ratings measure will be the norm by 2024, but for some it can't come soon enough.
- Published by David Knox
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Seven’s chief marketing and audience officer Melissa Hopkins has written an opinion piece in which she calls for better ratings reportage to include VOZ data, stating “They don’t tell the whole story and haven’t done for many years, ignoring how people actually consume content.”
This is a line everyone in the industry would concur with, given the many ways we consume content on our devices and in our own timelines.
“In theory, the archaic linear overnight ratings reports will be ancient history by early next year and national VOZ audience information will be the only data out there, she noted in Mumbrella.
“We need to focus on national audience data.
“It’s important from a commercial point of view because so many marketers buy national campaigns. It’s important from a perception and media point of view because it shows the real reach and impact of TV content.
“Why lead with the smallest number? Why not make the sceptics realise that the content reaches and engages with big audiences, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, year in, year out?
“And why let people assume the streamers attract big audiences? Maybe they do, maybe they don’t. Who would know, as they don’t release audience numbers. That is, of course, their prerogative.
“My point is that as an industry, we should be shouting from every single rooftop about how many people our content reaches, the engagement and connections it creates, and the amazing and enduring role it plays in Australian conversations and Australian culture.”
Hopkins acknowledges she is new to her role, having been hired from Optus.
“In my 12 weeks as a TV executive, I’ve heard the squabbling between some people about what VOZ data should and shouldn’t be released, and in what form, and at what time of day, and to whom,” she continues.
It’s bullshit. It’s dumb. It’s head-in-the-sand thinking. And it isn’t doing any of us any favours.
“I’m genuinely excited about VOZ. It’s independent. It’s credible. It’s world leading. It is a single source of truth for the industry and for the people reporting on the industry. ”
VOZ data, which includes regional and BVOD numbers, began being released daily by OzTAM earlier this month. Those numbers are released publicly at 1pm daily, three hours after the 10am metro numbers are released. OzTAM, in case you’d forgotten, is owned equally by Seven, Nine and 10.
It’s a taken a long time to get parties to agree to the VOZ model and even longer to get the technology working right. The end product looks to be excellent and comprehensive.
By 2024, it is expected the daily source replacing metro figures, and hurrah to that. TV Tonight, which does file Total TV numbers daily, has been advocating for national figures as far back as 2013.
It’s also a view that Seven has been heavily pushing since its acquisition of Prime regional network.
In 2021 I also asked each network for their position on national v metro, but Nine was against the concept, because they monetised metro markets. 10 also wanted to talk metro numbers.
But if we’re going to advocate for national numbers, surely networks also need to end any backgrounding of journalists on the metro performance of their rivals too? That still happens in 2023….
To the question of moving to VOZ, I say bring it on with full figures from 10am (or even 9am) to reflect how we watch.
8 Responses
Always amusing to read these executives rants, that the system is broken when the numbers no longer swing their way, makes you wonder who they think they are fooling as mentioned in other comments the early figures mostly reflect the overall share in the end, the ad executives that place their ads with them I’m sure are up with all the tricks and wording how every new show is the biggest hit of the year regardless of how many watch as anything can be spun as a hit in its own way.
Bring on the new figures, and release them early in the day, can’t wait to see what they show.
They always whine when they are flopping in the overnights. Everyone knows the other measures add ratings on but generally speaking the overnights are still generally reflective of how a show will perform overall and generally any increase is somewhat comparable to the initial figures for the flagship shows at least. It’s shows outside that 7.30 slot on the commercial FTAs or on other channels which tend to be the exception in picking up significant ratings late, i.e. Alone.
However perhaps they should just call Seven’s bluff and only report ratings after 28 days so they can air something like Blow Up and Ultimate Tag in full and then have to pay back advertisers for the full series when the ratings come in a month later and reveal they spectacularly flopped.
They get the VOZ numbers daily now don’t they? Why aren’t they being published if they’re so good?
As indicated they are published every day at 1pm. Available at OzTAM site.
Buried by the looks of it. Not sure where members of the public can find them
Actually they publish them on a separate address: https://virtualoz.com.au/
I feel like like FTA metro numbers should continue to be reported, as they are still helpful in comparing to historical data, although figures should definitely now be reported alongside national and VOZ numbers.
“Why lead with the smallest number? Why not make the sceptics realise that the content reaches and engages with big audiences, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, year in, year out? ”
So when they say that bit, and let’s take Seven with Blow Up Australia, it lifted 13% from 288,000 to 531,000 on Daily Consolidated would that have saved it from being moved to 7Flix, would they really have still been happy with the lower figure.