Osaka TV ratings slide under new Peoplemeter

<p>OSAKA: A new Peoplemeter television audience measurement service </p><p>available since April in Osaka - Japan's second-largest city - has </p><p>delivered bad news for advertisers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Results show a significant decline in target audience ratings versus </p><p>measurements by the previously-used diary panel. For some groups, for </p><p>example young women, ratings fell by 10 per cent at peak-time. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Andrew Meaden, a director at MindShare Japan, said: "This is very </p><p>worrying, especially as TV continues to be negotiated in Japan on a </p><p>household rather than target basis. This means clients will still be </p><p>paying the same for their airtime though audiences are smaller than </p><p>previously supposed. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Consequently advertisers will need to increase budgets for Osaka to get </p><p>the audience impact they thought was being achieved." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Osaka's panel followed extensive lobbying by advertisers, which </p><p>eventually forced Video Research, the Dentsu affiliate providing the </p><p>service, to act. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But there are no plans currently to extend Peoplemeter coverage of </p><p>Japan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Most areas have a household rating meter panel which provides simple </p><p>data but not about the viewing audience. This crude data is all the TV </p><p>stations will consider in cost negotiations," said Meaden. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>