On the eve of a special digital-only meeting at the National Association of Broadcasters’ (NAB) Show in Las Vegas, one cable operator has urged it to solve TV’s data problem.
The NAB is has tabled a Digital Summit, including assembling a board to tackle the issue – namely, how to standardize measurement and reporting mechanisms for quantifying viewership of TV across a burgeoning range of new platforms.
“What hasn’t happened is a standard method of viewing the data and articulating the data in a common way,” says Cablevision media sales head Ben Tatta, in this video interview with Beet.TV. “The first step is to fill in the holes of measurement.
“While sample-based methods might be sufficient in measuring the top 50 networks, we have several hundred channels on their dial. Typically that’s where the sample breaks down. (There is) a lot of viewing that just isn’t method.”
Cablevision introduced census-level audience data to its Total Audience ad suite three years ago, leading Tatta to conclude: “Sample-based methods aren’t sufficient enough in measuring viewing across the dial.”
That echoes a common concern across the industry, although the likes of Nielsen and comScore claim to be racing to account for cross-device viewership.
We interviewed him as part of our series on the need for standards around premium video advertising. The series was produced around the NAB Digital Summit in Las Vegas. This series on Beet.TV is sponsored by the NAB.
