BARB, the company which measures television viewing figures in the UK, says it will start measuring viewing through all computer devices, including tablets, from this autumn.
At present the body measures live TV viewing and recordings watched within 7 days of broadcast. It releases both overnight figures – which includes just live viewing – and ‘consolidated’ data which includes recordings.
BARB says the ‘consolidated’ figures are its gold standard and are relied on by broadcasters reporting and trading purposes.
The addition of figures for catch-up services will ensure broadcasters and advertisers have access to the fullest possible data on UK viewing, including shows watched on 4oD, BBC iPlayer, Demand 5, ITV Player and Sky Go.
Justin Sampson, Chief Executive at BARB, said: “This is a significant step forward in our ambition to deliver cross-platform measurement of content. The next step is to invite research companies to tender for the task of integrating this data with the viewing figures that our users are already familiar with.”