The Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRC) has confirmed a comprehensive update to its television and radio audience measurement programmes, reaffirming its commitment to producing valid, reliable, and stable data that reflects the evolving South African broadcast media landscape.
“The media industry in South Africa has long relied on world-class research as the foundation for effective decision-making,” said Gary Whitaker, CEO of the BRC. “As the industry continues to transform, we are dedicated to ensuring our audience measurement systems keep pace, providing stakeholders with the insights they need to thrive.”
Strengthening Television Audience Measurement (TAMS)
In response to concerns raised by broadcasters regarding the recently released Television Establishment Survey (TV ES) results, the BRC commissioned an independent review by 3M3A. The findings revealed that the weighting efficiency of the last TV ES was too low, leading to a recommendation against its adoption into the Television Audience Measurement Survey (TAMS).
“The TAMS panel has demonstrated good sensitivity to market changes over the years,” said Whitaker. “To build on this, we will be conducting a longitudinal analysis of viewing data from 2019 to 2024, focusing on both unweighted and weighted metrics. This will help us forecast trends and understand the impact of weighting on the results.”
The BRC will also be exploring ways to better align TAMS and the Radio Audience Measurement Survey (RAMS), ensuring consistent population sizing and demographic profiling across the two currencies.
“Collaboration and transparency are key to the success of our audience measurement initiatives,” Whitaker added. “We will be working closely with broadcasters, advertisers, and other stakeholders to implement a phased approach to updating the television universe, including reweighting the 2023 Establishment Survey and commissioning a new, comprehensive ES that serves both television and radio audiences.”
Enhancing Radio Audience Measurement (RAMS)
The release of RAMS Amplify Q1 2024 data was delayed due to concerns raised by the Radio Research Committee (RRC), particularly around the past-7-day (P7D) radio listening figures, which have declined slowly but steadily over the past few years.
“We take these concerns seriously and have established a technical subcommittee to identify areas for improvement in RAMS Amplify,” said Whitaker. “This subcommittee will work closely with Ipsos to address the queries and provide an action plan to ensure the data can be released with confidence.”
The BRC’s analysis, conducted by 3M3A, found no issues with the sample or weighting in the March 2024 dataset, indicating a gradual decline in overall radio listening. However, the analysis also highlighted some interesting trends, such as the impact of the Youth Booster and the High-Income/Online Booster.
“We will be monitoring these trends closely and exploring the potential need for more qualitative research to better understand how consumers are engaging with radio,” Whitaker noted. “Our goal is to ensure RAMS Amplify remains a reliable and responsive currency that reflects the evolving listening habits of South Africans.”
Preparing for the future
As the BRC approaches the conclusion of the RAMS Amplify Ipsos contract in January 2026, the organisation is taking proactive steps to ensure a smooth transition to either a new currency or an enhanced version of the existing one.
“We cannot afford to rely on a 24-month rolling dataset, which could result in prolonged data release timelines,” said Whitaker. “To avoid the pitfalls we experienced during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be launching a Request for Proposal (RFP) process in 2024 to explore various options and scenarios.”
The BRC is also exploring opportunities for greater collaboration between television and radio broadcasters, with the goal of future-proofing the audience measurement systems and achieving economies of scale.
“Jointly funded studies, such as the Establishment Survey, and potentially combining budgets for the development of an audio-visual currency that spans both traditional and digital broadcast media, will be key considerations during the RFP process,” Whitaker explained.
Investing in industry education
Recognising the rapidly evolving media landscape and the need for a holistic understanding of audience measurement, the BRC is committed to upskilling the industry through a dedicated education initiative.
“Our currencies are under scrutiny, as they should be, to ensure they adapt to the new realities we face,” said Whitaker. “The challenge ahead is to provide a comprehensive perspective of the audience, and we are dedicated to equipping the industry with the knowledge and tools to navigate this changing landscape.”
The BRC’s education initiative will include a BRC certification programme covering TAMS, RAMS, the Establishment Survey, Log Verification, Universe Updates, Fusion, and more. Additionally, the organisation will be providing bite-sized, audio-visual educational content to engage and inform the industry.
“We believe that a clearly defined educational division is a common feature of successful Joint Industry Committees (JICs) around the world,” Whitaker added. “By investing in industry education, we can empower stakeholders to make informed decisions and leverage our audience measurement tools to their fullest potential.”
Conclusion
The Broadcast Research Council of South Africa remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing the media industry in South Africa through collaborative, transparent, and future-focused initiatives.
“Our global reputation for excellence is built on a deep level of industry collaboration, and we are dedicated to upholding this legacy,” said Whitaker. “By working closely with all stakeholders, we will ensure that our audience measurement systems continue to provide the valid, reliable, and stable data that underpins the success of the South African media industry.”
