The Measurement of Audiences in the New Television Landscape: Who Measures Video Platforms?

Abstract

The concept of television has expanded and now extends beyond the traditional linear broadcasting networks that continuously air programs. Consequently, both the origin and the ways audiovisual content reaches our screens have diversified. Traditional television now coexists with new audiovisual players such as social networks and OTT (Over The Top) video platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. This article provides an overview of the current audience measurement system for both traditional and new forms of media consumption. Are audiences watching television on mobile devices being measured? How, and by whom, is viewing on Netflix currently measured? We will answer these questions to examine the challenges faced by the audiovisual industry in measuring a society with easy access to video content across all types of screens.