Barb, the company which measures viewing habits, is to start publishing data showing the average number of people in a household watching TV together.
Known as co-viewing factors, the information will be available from this week and will include linear, video-on-demand (VOD) or streaming service with a viewing share of more than 0.5% of total viewing.
The available co-viewing factors will provide more insight to end-users of Barb’s data to inform media planning.
In addition, Barb has announced a new has unveiled a new Trustmark to be used by customers and members of its Trusted Data Delivery Network, which includes all companies that work with Barb to deliver audience-measurement services.
The network also includes companies that provide analytics services to organisations which rely on Barb data for a range of commercial and regulatory purposes.
These data-processing companies can use Barb’s Trustmark asa quality-assurance indicator to demonstrate their analytics services are reporting data that is compliant with industry standards.
Justin Sampson, Chief Executive at Barb said: “Every day, Barb delivers a rich body of evidence on what people watch. In a world of data abundance, our Trustmark will assure data analysts of the industry standards that underpin the collection, compilation and reporting of our viewing figures.
“Our ability to meet expected standards relies on many companies that are part of our Trusted Data Delivery Network. We’re pleased to have worked with many of these companies for several years and have been stimulated this year by conversations with other companies that have ideas for how we can deliver data in a way that’s both fresh and rigorous.
“The growing interest in co-viewing factors across our industry recognises a critical co-dependency. Data sourced from the devices people use to watch is reliant on real-life observations on human behaviour to identify how many people are watching, and who they are watching with.
“We’re pleased to now start reporting Barb’s co-viewing factors formally to all our customers. With our Trustmark attached, data users can be assured that Barb’s co-viewing factors are a bona fide industry-agreed standard.”