Video standard

2023 is a transitional year for AGF. Convergence becomes the standard: Starting from January 1, 2024, the "Market Standard for Video Standard" is the default in AGF Video Research evaluation systems.


Objective

With the transition to the market standard for video standard, AGF aims to achieve a proper representation of the changing supply and competitive structure.

In addition to TV households, households that do not possess a TV device but have at least one device capable of receiving online content (e.g., PC, laptop, smartphone, and tablet) are now considered.

Furthermore, linear and non-linear usage of streaming services across nearly all devices is taken into account in addition to linear TV usage.

In newly created evaluation options, time restrictions are also lifted to sensibly depict individual program flows in convergent usage data.

All measures associated with this transition are described in this document.

 


Changeover market standard

The year 2023 is a year of transition. The provision of the market standard for video in AGF SCOPE and the planning systems has been in effect since January 1, 2023. For TV evaluations, the default remains the TV market standard. The transition to the market standard for video standrad will take place on January 1, 2024.

The new software AGF SCOPE was operated in parallel with VIDEOSCOPE from January 1, 2023, to July 31, 2023. Since August 1, 2023, AGF SCOPE has become the sole and continuously maintained reference system, replacing VIDEOSCOPE. VIDEOSCOPE can continue to operate locally after its shutdown, but it will no longer receive further data updates.

In the planning systems, it will be possible to work with the market standard for video during the transition year of 2023.

The transition period can be used to adapt existing evaluations and potentially align them with the new standard. Webinars with our partners GfK and DAP are available for more information on the offerings and schedules. For further details, please contact .


Expansion of the universe

As part of the transition to the market standard, the sample size is expanded. To represent the usage of video standard in the AGF research system, in addition to TV households, which are households with at least one TV device in use, non-TV households are also considered. These non-TV households do not have a big screen but have at least one device capable of receiving online content.


Extension of streaming usage

AGF has been measuring streaming usage through separate online panels operated by Nielsen since 2017. Regular reporting has been in place since 2019.

As part of the continuous improvement of measurement and methodology, a consent-free measurement for mobile and desktop devices is now ensured for all measurement participants.

The data production process involves merging the streaming usage measured in the online panels and calibrated in the overall survey into the AGF panel. By using various media-specific links and measured overlap information, the AGF creates a convergent usage dataset, which serves as the basis for reporting and analysis in the market standard for moving images.


Adjustment of the matching period for convergent reach

To establish convergent reach in the AGF system, a matching process is performed between TV and streaming content. The connection is rule-based, utilizing the TV broadcast database and streaming content database. The time period for automatic matching, where Video on Demand (VoD) performance is attributed to a TV program, changes from the previous -7/+60 days to -14/+13 days in the revised market standard for moving images, effective from January 1, 2023.


Impact of the transition on performance metrics

  • Absolute values such as viewership, viewers, net reach, and contact sum in millions increase with the addition of live streaming.
  • Market shares among the broadcasters shift slightly with the inclusion of live streaming.
  • Relative values such as viewership in %, viewers in %, net reach and contact sum in %, viewing duration, as well as GRP, decrease due to the expansion of the sample size and the associated increase in potential, which is typically not offset by the additional live streaming usage.

Impact of the transition on performance metrics

New forms of usage and delivery of content also require new evaluation aggregates as a meaningful basis for comparison.

In the streaming sector there are no linear programme schedules, there is no clear reference to a specific broadcast. In order to be able to look at linear TV and streaming together, we have therefore created new evaluation aggregates.

Programme brands

Programme brands were introduced with the aim of ensuring cross-media reach for strong media brands regardless of their linearity and end device. This means that both linear and non-linear content are measured against each other instead of against each other.

For programme brands, gross, net coverage and usage volumes are reported on the basis of calendar weeks.

Video usage share

For the analysis of video content, the video usage share (VUS) is a parameter for convergence evaluations that represents the competitive position of an evaluation element and allows its tracking. The Fact is formed on the basis of the viewing volume and is calculated from the viewing volume of the evaluation element in relation to the viewing volume of video as a whole.


New Software

AGF SCOPE

AGF SCOPE was developed as a browser-based web application for analyzing television, streaming, and moving image usage behavior. It represents a complete redesign with a focus on improved presentation and usability, taking into account the current user requirements.

AGF REACH PLANNER®

AGF has introduced a new web-based strategic rough planning tool for forecasting the reach of cross-media campaigns for TV and streaming, known as AGF REACH PLANNER®.

The integration of additional measurement data sets is planned. This may include data from AGF X-REACH (non-video content) and AGF Smart Meter measurement (platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video) in the future.

PLAN TV/TV CONTROL

PLAN TV and TV CONTROL will continue to exist as software for the integrated planning and control of TV advertising campaigns.

Similar to VIDEOSCOPE and AGF SCOPE, the market standard TV is currently set as the default in PLAN TV and TV CONTROL. In parallel, starting from 2023, the market standard for moving images will also be available and can be selected specifically.

Continuation AGF VIDEOSCOPE

VIDEOSCOPE can continue to be operated locally even after its shutdown, although it will no longer receive further data updates. This allows, as needed (depending on the specific licensing scope), the continued generation of analyses of the streaming and convergent data set in the "old" market standard for moving images before January 1, 2023, just as TV evaluations can be done in the TV market standard until July 31, 2023.

Further processing systems

The integration of streaming data into the AGF panel leads to a nine-fold increase in data within the PIN data. This should be taken into account in the downstream processing systems. The format of the PIN data changes only slightly and can be found in the PIN data set description.

Migration

With the introduction of the new software, opportunities have been created to migrate components from existing systems into AGF SCOPE. The software includes a migration assistant for component transfer.

Due to differences in evaluation parameters between AGF SCOPE and VIDEOSCOPE, certain limitations have been applied to the migration of specific component types:

  • Target groups (e.g., those that do not contain user-generated characteristics)
  • Program lists (e.g., only pure lists containing elements of the same type, such as TV programs or TV time intervals)