TNS Media Research, a division of TNS providing internet, TV, and radio audience measurement worldwide, is pleased to announce that BBM Canada, the leading supplier of radio and television audience ratings services to the Canadian broadcast advertising industry, has selected a joint bid by TNS and Arbitron Inc to deploy Portable People Meter (PPM) technology for electronic measurement of television and radio in Canada.
The new PPM television service will be based on the world’s largest combined TV and radio meter panel. Installation of the system will begin in early 2009 and will roll out later that year.
“BBM blazed the trail in portable measurement when it adopted PPM for TV audience currency in Montreal and Quebec in 2004,” said Richard Marks, Global Head, TNS Media Research. “Since then the system has been adopted as currency in a number of countries so we are delighted that the PPM is being adopted by the rest of Canada. We are looking forward to partnering with BBM and Arbitron to roll out what will be the world’s largest meter panel providing both TV and Radio currency.”
“We’re delighted that the Portable People Meter will be an integral component of the world’s most advanced, single source, radio and television ratings system which the BBM is now creating for Canada’s radio and TV broadcasters, agencies and advertisers,” said Steve Morris, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc. “We designed the Portable People Meter to be a robust and adaptable technology. That’s why the PPM is the ideal solution for single source media measurement where one panel of consumers is used to measure many channels of media distribution.”
“BBM’s goal in this process was to ensure that our electronic television measurement system was employing the most efficient and cost-effective technology available,” said Jim MacLeod, President and CEO, BBM Canada. “I am confident that BBM’s Board of Directors has chosen a technology solution that will not only meet the audience measurement needs of today but will also anticipate and adapt to the needs of the future.”
Following an extensive evaluation period starting in June 2007, TNS and Arbitron put in their joint bid that beat three rival companies to win the BBM tender. TNS has been working with Arbitron, who developed the PPM system, for eight years and there are now over 30,000 PPMs deployed around the world across eight commercial measurement services.