Presentation by Dr Paul Haupt
Bonn, Germany
7 November 2014
The purpose of the feasibility study was:
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To identify the reasons for the failure of the
previous audience research service.
Appraise the commercial viability of different
models to re-establish audience research
services.
Make recommendations for the resumption of
sustainable commercial audience research in
Nepal.
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What are the options:
 Although it seems as if there are a number of potential
models for the resumption of audience research in Nepal
to be considered, there are really only two choices for the
industry to consider.
 The industry must decide whether they:
1. Want to control their own future as far as media
ratings are concerned or
2. Are prepared to leave it in the hands of a research
company.
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Industry stakeholders including advertisers, advertising
agencies and media owners invest in the set-up of an
industry owned media audience research organization.
Ratings are produced under the control of this
independent, professional, non-profit organization that
belongs to the industry.
Industry players decide together how the research must
be carried out.
The industry decides together which research company
must be used to produce the ratings and they sign the
contract with the research company.
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The research is carried out as per the industry’s
specification and everything is in the open and in the
public domain so that everyone has a full understanding
of how the ratings are produced.
The research is monitored and managed by the industry
and if issues arise, they are handled by the industry.
All industry stakeholders are involved in the ratings
organization and therefor there is buy-in from everyone.
This means that everyone has trust in the ratings and it is
used by all as a common currency for trading purposes
(buying and selling of media space and time).
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The research is funded by the industry in terms of an
agreed funding model and stakeholders must commit for
a reasonable period of time e.g. a 3 or 5 year period.
The research results are owned by the industry and not
the research company and it is this body that decides
how and when the data is made available.
The biggest single advantage of this funding model is
that all the data is in the public domain so that everyone
in the industry will have free access to the data as it has
already been paid for by the percentage levy. This also
ensures that the data becomes a true currency for the
whole industry used by everyone.
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A research company decides to venture into the field of
currency research and recruits clients from the
advertising, media and advertising agency sectors to buy
the ratings data.
The research company decides how the research will be
conducted and what information will be released to
clients.
Because individual clients have no leverage, the research
company can ask virtually any price.
Important aspects of the research are regarded as
proprietary and therefor a “black box” and clients do not
know how the ratings are produced.
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Clients have little or no say as it is a commercial venture
and the data belongs to the research company who
carries the risk and can do what it wants with the data.
Data is unaffordable for many stakeholders and thus not
a true currency for the whole industry used by everyone.
Despite attempts to control the distribution of the results
to nonsubscribers, data is passed on the many users who
did not contribute and this data theft undermines the
viability and long-term sustainability of the venture.
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Thank you
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