From 29 December, Auditel will become the only system for measuring television and digital audiences, thanks to the introduction of the new ‘Total Audience’ standard just approved by the Auditel board. This evolution responds to the need to offer a more precise and complete measurement of audiences, in an increasingly complex media environment.
The Upa Association, which represents advertising investors, is Auditel’s third largest shareholder, after Rai and Mediaset. Auditel president Lorenzo Sassoli de Bianchi explains that in the first nine months of the year, Total Audience grew by 1.4%, while advertising investments increased by 6% by July, with forecasts to close the year with a 4% increase.
The main challenge remains to improve audience measurement and return on advertising investment, which is becoming increasingly central in light of the increase in consumer touchpoints. In this context, an important meeting will be held on 16 October at Agcom, with the participation of all the presidents of the main measurement companies, including Audicom, born from the merger of Audiweb and Audipress. Auditel will share resources and expertise, especially in the area of basic research.
Since the meeting, the hope is that Agcom will recognise and support the cooperation between the different metering companies, which represents an important precedent. From a technical point of view, the tools are already available; what remains to be done is to integrate them and optimise their use.
A relevant aspect will be the inclusion, in Auditel’s Total Audience, of data from digital platforms such as Infinity (Mediaset), Now (Sky) and Dazn. The latter, which is obliged to participate in the measurements by the Melandri law as the holder of Serie A rights, could in the future pass to Audicom. It remains to be clarified whether the measurement obligation could also extend to Amazon Prime Video, which broadcasts part of Dazn’s Serie A content.
From 1 July 2025, the use of the Cusv code (Unique Spot Video Code) will become mandatory for companies that want cross-media measurement of their advertising campaigns. Currently, only 9% of companies investing in TV use this tool.
Photo credits: Pxhere
