OzTAM partners with Fetch TV to expand big data audience measurement

OzTAM has announced Fetch TV as its latest big data partner, joining its ongoing proof-of-concept project aimed at enhancing video audience measurement in Australia.

The initiative explores how big data, including data from set-top boxes, can be combined with OzTAM’s panel data to deliver more granular and precise insights into viewing behaviour across broadcast and digital platforms.

Fetch TV will contribute anonymous, aggregated data from around 700,000 households, capturing second-by-second viewing activity. The data is expected to provide deeper visibility into regional and national viewing habits.

OzTAM CEO Karen Halligan said the partnership strengthens the project’s scope. “We are delighted to welcome Fetch TV as our latest big data partner as we look to further enhance Australia’s audience measurement capability,” she said. “The inclusion of Fetch TV moves us closer to understanding the impact of incorporating big data sources into VOZ Total TV currency.”

The proof-of-concept, announced in April, already includes data from Samba TV and Nexxen, which provide Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) data from more than 2.2 million connected TVs. Combined with OzTAM and Regional TAM’s panel of 8,300 homes and 16 million connected devices measured monthly via OzTAM’s Video Player Measurement (VPM) service, the project aims to transform how total video is measured in Australia.

Fetch TV CEO Dominic Arena said the collaboration reflects the platform’s commitment to supporting industry-wide innovation. “With our scale and presence in around 700,000 Australian homes and universal content viewed on our platform, this collaboration allows us to contribute to initiatives that enhance the accuracy and consistency of screen measurement across Australia,” he said.

Big data in TV measurement typically refers to RPD from set-top boxes and ACR data from smart TVs. While RPD captures linear viewing, ACR tracks multi-platform and on-demand consumption, together offering a more complete picture of audience behaviour.