For the first time sellers, buyers and clients will know the total value of a print brand’s online and offline combined audience.
NRS PADD will provide the net reach of print publications and their websites, enabling publishers to access the reach and frequency of their online properties. The new database will provide the planning, buying and selling communities with a continuous single-source trading and planning currency.
The introduction of online audience data represents the most significant development for the NRS in over 50 years. It is the first full database to include the combined offline and online readership data. NRS PADD is expected to be available in spring 2012.
Using a data fusion approach has ensured that the Survey’s readership estimates, which will continue to be collected by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the NRS, are not disrupted. The online estimates will be provided by UKOM, the industry accepted source of online data, while RSMB will be responsible for the fusion of the two data sources.
Mike Ironside (pictured), chief executive at NRS, said: “We are delighted that the fusion trial has been successful and that we will be able provide the industry with the so far elusive combined audience data across print and online. This is a major step forwards that we believe will shape the future not only of NRS but media measurement as a whole.”
Jane Ratcliffe, chairman, Mediacom, said: “The industry has been sorely lacking an independent and trusted measurement of a media brand’s collective print and online audience. The introduction of combined print and online readership data into a survey as trusted and robust as The National Readership Survey is welcome news for agencies and publishers alike. It is heartening to see how the industry has come together to drive through such an important development in trading and we are looking forward to seeing the first NRS PADD data in spring 2012.”
Douglas McArthur, Chairman of UKOM, said: “Advertisers increasingly invest in campaigns integrated across several media, so having separate planning metrics for each medium isn't very helpful for the ultimate customer. Bringing NRS and UKOM together is a step on this journey and I am sure we'll look back on this move in a year or two and wonder why all media metrics haven't worked to integrate as NRS and UKOM have done.”
About NRS
NRS says: “NRS Ltd is a non-profit-making, commercial organisation funded by the NPA, PPA and IPA. Its primary role is to provide reliable and professional readership estimates of the number and nature of the people who read Britain’s newspapers and consumer magazines. Currently the survey publishes data for more than 300 newspapers, newspaper supplements and magazines, which together represent the large majority of the UK press advertising market.”
