Nielsen on notice over Malaysia Media Index

The Joint Industry Committee for Print Audience Research (Jicpar), which was set up to resolve the readership row, will review the competing studies. Jicpar officials also met with TNS, which handles readership research for Nanyang Siang Pau, but the researcher has yet to throw its hat in the ring. "We can't have dual or triple currencies in the market, as it is confusing," Jicpar head Margaret Lim said, adding that a decision was likely by the end 2006.

"We will not endorse one methodology over the other. Rather we would monitor, provide guidance, assist in auditing and give our recommendations to the industry."

Malaysia will be the second market after Thailand to offer Media Atlas, which uses a combination of computer- assisted telephone interviews (Cati) and face-to-face interviews to address publishers' complaints that Media Index's sample base is too small to fully represent the market as response rates slip from a high of 70 per cent to about 55 per cent.

Synovate's director of media research Steve Garton said Media Atlas' combination methodology had uncovered significant hidden audiences for publications and TV in Bangkok. For instance, Thai Rath had 2.5 million versus Media Index's 1.5 million readers. While Jicpar noted that the use of Cati would give access to security conscious respondents in gated communities -- a major shortcoming of the current Media Index -- there were also concerns about Media Atlas' methodology.

"The limitations include limited landline telephone penetration -- a lot higher in upscale homes -- and we are uncertain about the accurancy of the respondents' participation after half an hour on the phone," said Lim.

Meanwhile, Nielsen, which has been supplying readership data to the market since 1968, insisted the "euphoria created by some research firms in releasing higher numbers" did not reflect an apple for apple comparison.

"Our proposal is to re-weight condos and luxury apartments because our response rate for the two is very low," said Nielsen Media Research Malaysia's executive director Danyal Abdul Malik, adding that Jicpar had asked it to put the proposal on hold.

"When the two surveys are up, then people will be able to evaluate if they need one or the other. I am confident Media Index will be the currency."