MultiChoice’s launch of the DStv-i return path panel in early 2009 will see South Africa become only the third country in the world to adopt this technology, which will allow for the gathering of data about DStv audience viewing patterns through the set top box (STB).

To date, television audience measurement in South Africa has been done via the traditional peoplemeter, implemented by the South African Advertising Research Foundation (SAARF). Originally designed for use on analogue channels, the peoplemeter cannot fully cater for the fragmented audiences produced by digital channels.

“This DStv-i return path panel is a way of measuring audiences in the new converged media environment and is part of our long term plan to establish a robust DStv audience measurement tool. DStv-i will measure every click on the remote and act as a complement to SAARF Television Audience Measurement Survey (TAMS) data,” said Brenda Wortley, director of OATS Strategy & Research division, at the DigitTalk 2008 conference held in Johannesburg on 1 October.

A DStv-i trial will complete its run at the end of November. Some 4,000 recruits will then be sourced from among DStv subscribers in December, with the DStv-i service launching early in 2009. By August next year, OATS will be able to release in-depth data about DStv audiences and their viewing habits to advertisers and media planners.

DStv-i uses STB return path technology from global market research company, TNS. For more on DStv-i and the DigiTalk 2008 conference see the November/ December issue of Screen Africa.