The South African Audience Research Foundation (Saarf) has appointed a task force of “independent minds” to research a needs analysis on how to “future proof” the organisation.
“Kuper Research is currently engaged in conducting this analysis, which is intended to be an all-inclusive assessment of existing usage of SAARF currencies and the impending requirements of media audience research,” said Saarf CEO Dr Paul Haupt in a statement.
Haupt says there have been many debates about the future of SAARF and its media audience research. “The media industry is encountering a quickly changing media landscape: content is breaking out of the traditional media categories and spreading across platforms, transforming and multiplying rapidly. This has implications for the way that media audience currency research is carried out and funded,” he says.
Haupt believes the media industry needs to “come to grips with the changing industry landscape, and make plans that will ensure that vital research currencies continue to be relevant to the needs of the media industry”.
This will require industry wide input and consultation both about where the industry currently stands and where it would like to be in the future. Saarf has formed a committee to help facilitate the decisions. The board’s future proofing committee has appointed Kuper Research to conduct the analysis that will assess usage of all Saarf currencies and what the future needs of audience research might be.
“Phase one of the needs’ analysis involves gathering the views and opinions of the broadest possible cross-section of media constituencies via an online survey. Any user of Saarf data can give their input. We strongly urge you to participate in this important research project,” Haupt says.
“By its very nature there are many aspects to consider so you will need some time to answer the questions that are pertinent to you. However, the questionnaire is designed so that you do not have to complete it in one session. In other words you can do some of it, and resume at that point when convenient.”
Haupt has called on stakeholders to voice their opinions to ensure their requirements are met.
