While there is a lot I don’t like about this new ratings system, one benefit of the focus moving to reach data is it’s no longer in a network’s interest to split code a program.
It’s means we are no longer seeing 6pm news bulletins split in half and hopefully we should no longer be seeing separate data for “winner announced” in reality programs.
One of my personal frustrations is the fact anything shorter than 10 mins will not be counted as a program in VOZ data. This means that individual episodes of Bluey will never appear in the new top 30 chart.
So. . not sure if I’ve got this right… if we only find out national ratings, we’ll never know how regional news bulletins or local shows (eg. Weekender, Creek to Coast) rate because they will be ranked way too low.
Is that right?
OzTAM will only publicly be providing the one top 30 overnight report.
Broadcasters will still have access to the full data set so if their publicty departments wish to release numbers for shows outside the top 30, they can.
That is a similar situation to what we have now but instead of a top 20 now presented it will be a top 30 so more potential for lower rated programs to make the list.
Although up until now we have received three overnight top 20 reports. (Metro, Multi-Channels, and Subscription). From Monday we will only get the one Top 30 report.
But don’t we get lists by market now? Top 20 in one market is different to Top 30 nationally?
Sadly, that is what it will look like, by the looks of it. One National Top 30, instead of the Top 20 Metro list. It certainly sucks.
In recent times, we have been receiving the Top 30 list in the afternoons (alongside the overnight lists in the mornings), which has Total TV, a metro list, regionals list and BVOD list. I’m assuming the new list will look something like this instead?
TV Blackbox podcast today looked at it in depth. Was a good discussion.
Agree - it’s worth a listen for anyone wanting to get their head around the changes.
While there are definitely positives about the new system (e.g., focus on national viewership rather than 5 city metro, getting peak + average numbers, etc), the amount of information that will no longer be publicly available (namely 5 city metro breakdowns and multichannel + Foxtel top 20) is a significant blow to ratings transparency.
Agree that it is both a positive and a negative.
The positive is getting a national number. And we do get to see the peak numbers (and hopefully no more “Winners Announced” for reality shows).
Negative is not see the five-city breakdown. No shares. No multi-channel list. No Foxtel numbers. A lot of things that have been reported for years, some ,decades like shares) no longer available to media.
Transparency to who? The viewership?
There are only two groups where transparency is important - the networks and the advertisers, and they aren’t relying on the numbers that are posted on a couple of websites and in the newspapers. Even then, the networks game the system to their benefit to make the system more opaque.
Ratings are a necessary evil to adequately measure performance, but the unending quest for ratings glory has done significant damage to what we see on FTA - they’ve made every timeslot a competition where failing to have instantaneous success is nearly always punished which has resulted in some appallingly turgid television. It’s also turned our news into sensationalism that is designed to attract maximum viewership rather than informing people.
Do networks have any state by state breakdown? Like will channel 9 be able to see if 9 news Adelaide improves if TP is a stronger lead in?
The networks still have full access to the raw data and can see minute by minute how audiences are fluctuating.
It is only the general public which is facing reduced access.
Ah right so networks will still report in the same way. E.g., Today won Eastern states etc
I came here at 10am for the ratings. Where are they? I know the reason. I just dont like change. Lol.
Same. I already miss my 10am ratings updates too 
Well at least today you could read the weekly ratings report:slight_smile:
Perhaps we should start a fantasy ratings 
I have seen some numbers for last night. Obviously I won’t discuss the specifics here, but unsurprisingly Channel 9’s share was significant. I’m sure they would love to tell us about it.
Nine’s press release includes some high-level figures and a link to download network shares, but the excel spreadsheet is empty columns 
But @TV.Cynic might know, are we allowed to disclose information given to us in a network press release?
btw, B&T have some comment on the new world:
Historical comparisons are now much harder and rely on individual broadcasters to supply journalists with like for like numbers. Given their tendency to guild their respective lilies, we look forward to some confusing and dare we say perhaps less than truthful times ahead!
Some industry pundits have likened the move to VOZ as akin to publishers abandoning circulation numbers in favour of readership as the beginning of the end.