The new GCAM-licensed TV and Video Audience Measurement (TAM) system will be established in collaboration with Nielsen to revolutionize Saudi Arabia’s media landscape
Riyadh, 16 February 2022: The Media Rating Company (MRC) hosted a special event recently in Riyadh, where it unveiled its strategy to launch a new TV and Video Audience Measurement (TAM) solution in Saudi Arabia. Invited guests and media representatives attended the event at the Crowne Plaza RDC Riyadh as the company presented the details of its plans for delivering the KSA TAM system. The new solution is set to revolutionize Saudi Arabia’s media landscape by empowering broadcasters, digital publishers, agencies, and advertisers with Gold Standard audience media consumption data.
The event featured an informative presentation led by the CEO of MRC, Eng. Bandar Almashhadi, detailing the company’s plans to launch KSA TAM. An expert panel discussion about the project’s impact on Saudi Arabia’s media industry revealed the opportunities and transformative potential of the new solution. KSA TAM is licensed by the Kingdom’s General Commission for Audio Visual (GCAM) and Advertising Industry Board and will be implemented in collaboration with Nielsen, the leading audience measurement and data provider.
Speaking at the event, Eng. Almashhadi, who previously headed the Technical Committee overseeing the development of the KSA TAM initiative, said: “I am delighted to share the details of this groundbreaking TAM solution, which will play a key role in accelerating the growth of Saudi Arabia’s dynamic media and broadcast sector in line with the objectives of Vision 2030. As audience behaviors continue to evolve rapidly with the Kingdom’s remarkable transformation, it becomes more important than ever to accurately measure and understand TV viewership trends and preferences. We are proud to partner with Nielsen to gain a deeper understanding of Saudi viewers’ preferences and deliver accurate data to drive highly targeted campaigns.”
Nielsen currently measures TV audiences in over 40 markets globally, more than any other international TAM provider. The company is committed to integrating the latest innovations in consumer electronics to ensure it remains at the forefront of measuring audience behaviors. MRC collects and publishes transparent, industry-led data as part of KSA TAM. The solution is audited by 3M3A, which audits similar projects in more than 10 other countries and is supervised by a technical committee representing key industry stakeholders.
The KSA TAM system also supports the broader goals of Vision 2030 by helping local and international investors review their strategic decisions and enabling industry stakeholders to reach their target audiences through a scientific and statistical approach. It is in line with vision 2030’s digitization ambitions and sets an inspiring example of public-private partnerships – a key part of the Kingdom’s roadmap for achieving sustainable prosperity. Moreover, as the first solution in Saudi Arabia that includes a digital measurement to capture OTT streaming services over home Wi-Fi as well as in-home and out-of-home streaming across all devices and platforms, the KSA TAM project is supported by the recently launched Ignite program that aims to transform the Kingdom into a leading hub for digital entertainment and media production. The TAM solution is expected to support the efforts to attract digital content companies from all over the world by facilitating the continued growth of content development and media spending.
As part of KSA TAM, meters are currently being installed in homes across the Kingdom. In addition to using cutting-edge technology to ensure the accuracy of measurements, Nielsen’s team of Data Scientists are ensuring that the household panel is fully representative of the entire population of the Kingdom. The initial batch of data from the first 1,000 participating households will be made available during April 2022. The project is set to go fully live by July 2022 with data from 2,000 households.
