BARB to measure Online Viewing from September

The Broadcasters' Audience Research Board, BARB, is, for the first time, to release official figures showing the level of UK viewing through on-demand and live-streamed content through online TV Player apps.

BARB provides the official ratings for the UK TV Industry. The final figures currently reflect those who watch live or on catch up within one week of broadcast. They do not include those watching on their computers via the iPlayer. The BBC's own research, Live +7, shows up to 10% of the audience for Doctor Who currently watches online and is not counted in the official figures.

The first BARB TV Player Report will to be released in September and will be the first set of BARB data to focus on viewing that takes place on computer devices such as laptops, desktops, tablets and smartphones. It will report on viewing activity at a device level, rather than a person level, and rely on data that is generated from software code that has been developed by Kantar Media and implemented by broadcasters.

This solution is one of the most advanced audience measurement systems for online TV viewing in the world. The data will be an important building block for the delivery of Project Dovetail, the hybrid measurement system that will that is intended to deliver full cross-platform reporting of audiences.

Justin Sampson, Chief Executive at BARB, said: