Future of TV in Australia is linear + BVOD

Thursday, February 25th, 2021
OzTAM logo

Latest VOZ insights confirm future of TV is linear + BVOD

  • Total TV (linear + BVOD) averages 2.4m Australians daily in 2020
  • BVOD consumption grows 39% YOY+
  • 80% of Australians have used a BVOD service over past 12 months
  • BVOD adds approximately 5% to linear TV audience, more for younger demos
  • 66% of Total TV audience is aged 65 and under
  • BVOD median age is 16 years younger than linear

The latest insights from Virtual Australia (‘VOZ’) – the foundation of Australia’s forthcoming Total TV reporting standard – confirm that television is now an everywhere, multi-device medium.

That means advertisers looking to tap TV’s full power need to consider the complete array of TV assets across channels, screens and platforms.

Speaking at the Future of TV Advertising Sydney forum today, OzTAM CEO Doug Peiffer shared top line test data from VOZ, the new all-screen, cross-platform Total TV planning and reporting database.

OzTAM, Regional TAM and Nielsen are working towards commencing daily VOZ data delivery to subscribing clients in June.

Doug Peiffer said: “The latest VOZ test data illustrates the extent to which TV has become a multi-device, everywhere medium, and why advertisers need a strategic presence across all assets in the TV ecosystem.

“This is where VOZ comes to the fore, as the only service in this market that can deliver Total TV measurement, with demographic profiles, across all screens and devices nationally.

“VOZ data clearly shows the future of TV is linear + BVOD, and enables us to track how the Total TV marketplace continues to evolve.”

The latest VOZ test data reveals:

Australia - Total TV delivered a national average audience over 2.4 million people daily in 2020

Australia - BVOD consumption grows by 39% YoY - 2020

Australia - BVOD adds approximately 5% to linear TV audience - 2020

Australia - VOZ shows 66% of Total TV audience aged under 65 years - 2020

Australia - Majority of BVOD viewing is still to the largest screen - 2020

Mr Peiffer noted extensive progress had been made on VOZ development in calendar 2020.

OzTAM and Nielsen built the tools needed to deliver initial VOZ test data to subscribers – including dashboards and a web-access reach & frequency portal.

Meanwhile, third party software suppliers (TPSS) have made great strides in developing analytical software that will allow clients to interrogate the VOZ database.

These VOZ collection, fusion and production processes had to be built from the ground up.

Mr Peiffer continued: “VOZ was more complex than we ever could have imagined.

“We leveraged all the datasets we have – OzTAM and Regional TAM linear TV ratings, streaming TV meters, and BVOD – and created a representative modelled universe of over 25 million Australians to bring it all together.

“We began delivering daily test data in December and are taking broadcaster and TPSS feedback on board.

“Now we are working to refine the VOZ methodology to ensure VOZ estimates closely align with the established TV and BVOD currencies across the board.

“Our target is to deliver daily VOZ data to subscribing clients in June.”

Virtual Australia (‘VOZ’) is the foundation of Australia’s forthcoming national Total TV reporting standard. VOZ brings together broadcaster* content viewed on TV sets (linear TV) and connected devices (BVOD) to provide all-screen, cross-platform planning and reporting for Australia’s television industry.

VOZ has also been built to allow the industry to agree a common set of audience groups or segments in future that reflect buying behaviour and support planning and post-analysis beyond standard age/sex demographics.

Source: VOZ v3.03, National Total TV, Weeks 1-52, 2020.

+ BVOD growth is VPM minutes viewed, January 2021 vs January 2020; includes co-viewing on connected TV sets.

* Broadcaster content comprises viewing of metropolitan and regional free-to-air and subscription broadcasters’ linear TV (TAM) and online (BVOD) services. This includes viewing through the television set (both live and played back within 28 days by 20,000+ individuals in OzTAM and Regional TAM panel homes) and on 14m connected devices such as connected TVs, desktop/laptop computers, tablets and smartphones. Participating BVOD broadcasters: ABC, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network 10, SBS and Foxtel.