UKOM Plans Major Review of Audience Contract

UKOM, the cross-industry organisation set up to oversee the measurement of online audiences, is to begin a major review of its main audience contract next month, allowing time to consider 'major changes' before the end of the contract - currently with Nielsen - in December 2012.

Nielsen Online was awarded the three year contract in 2009, following a pitch against Gemius/IPSOS, GfK and comScore.

UKOM and Nielsen launched the Audience Planning System (APS) in February 2010, as a result of a cross-industry agreement to establish a single set of person-centric audience numbers for online media.

The system taps into a panel of at least 31,000 consumers at home, and a panel of 4,000 individuals at work locations. Sample is controlled by demographics drawn from Nielsen's NetView data, with new variables added such as social grade, chief income earner and main shopper.

UKOM plans to invite firms to tender for the contract well in advance. General Manager James Smythe (pictured) says UKOM has recently been speaking to industry stakeholders about their requirements for the system, and this input could result in 'considerable changes' to the contract, or even a re-build of the solution. He told DRNO: 'It takes 6 months to review a contract like this and a further 12 for the successful supplier to prepare industry requirements for the launch date. As we are planning major changes to the current contract that's how long we need.'

Web site: www.ukom.uk.net .