Does watermarking have an effect on audience indicators?
Yes, for some. Watermarking technology enables the audience measurement scope to be expanded. It also has an effect on certain indicators, such as total audience ratings. Until now, these have been calculated from the first second a programme is watched. With “watermarking”, the audimeters take 7 to 15 seconds to detect which channel is being watched. After a detailed analysis, the market and Médiamétrie have set the new threshold for the Total Ratings and derived indicators at 10 consecutive seconds. The Total TV Individual Listening Time is also concerned. In fact, there will always be some channels that are not marked (channels in border areas, foreign channels, etc.) which will be watched. Their audience cannot therefore be taken into account directly in Total TV. The conventions will change for these two cases. This does not cast any doubt on the accuracy or relevance of the measurement. They simply change the scope taken into account in calculating the indicators.
