TV JARGON BUSTER

AVOD

Ad-funded video-on-demand service.

Analogue TV

Television platform using analogue signal wavelengths. The UK ceased broadcasting analogue TV on 24th October 2012.

Areas

Barb divides the UK into ITV reception areas and BBC editorial regions. Audiences are currently reported for 13 ITV areas and 14 BBC regions (see also Macro Region).

As Broadcast

Method of reporting programmes which allocates viewing to the time programmes were broadcast. This method is used for the reporting of programme average audiences across four screens in the dashboard and C7 TV set viewing on the Barb website.

As Viewed

Method of reporting programmes which allocates viewing to the time programmes were watched. This method is used for the reporting of multiple-screen reach, share and time spent viewing on the Barb website.

Audience Category

An audience category is a classification of the viewing audience into a specific group. The following audiences are sometimes referred to as main categories – Homes, Individuals, Adults, Men, Women, Children and Housepersons. Sub-categories are more detailed breakdowns of the main categories – by age groups, social grades etc.

Audience Profile (Audience Composition)

The audience profile shows how a main audience category is divided into its subcategories (such as age, social grade or sex) in percentage terms. For example, if a programme achieves an Adult AB profile of 10%, this means that 10% of adult viewers were AB, while the other 90% were C1, C2 or DE Adults. An audience profile can be compared with the equivalent population profile to produce an index.

Audience Share

See Share.

Audience: Break Audience

A commercial break audience is defined as the duration weighted average of all the commercial spot audiences in the break.

Audience: Commercial Spot Audience

The commercial spot audience is defined as the audience for the minute in which the commercial starts.

Audience: Programme Audience

A programme audience is the average of all the minutes covered by a programme’s length, excluding any commercial breaks and promotions. When calculating non-linear programme audiences, these are usually calculated in As Viewed mode and so can be accumulated across any reporting period for which the content was available. All daily programme audiences are calculated independently prior to accumulation.

Audience: Time Segment (Daypart) Audience

A time segment (e.g. quarter hour) or daypart audience is the average of the one minute audiences in that time segment/daypart.

Audience: aggregated average audience

An aggregated audience is the aggregate of the audiences for each of the episodes in a series. These can be summed across viewing date ranges when doing programme analysis.

Audio-matching / audio-referencing

This is the technique used to measure viewing on TV sets in Barb panel homes via platforms other than Sky. The TV set meter takes audio samples from the TV set and converts these to digital fingerprints. Each night these fingerprints are retrieved and matched to a reference library of TV content for programmes and adverts, to determine the content and channel being viewed.

BVOD

Broadcaster video-on-demand. A VOD service owned and operated by a broadcaster, offering on-demand and live streamed programming.

Barb Gold Standard

Any audience measure that has been generated by applying the Barb defined calculation methodology and procedures to Barb audience data.

Barb user

Is a Barb underwriter or a person who has signed, or is treated by Barb as though it has signed, a Letter of Consent with Barb as a user of the service.

Broadband-only homes

Broadband-only homes have a broadband connection but no TV set; the occupants of these homes have the ability to watch television online on devices.

Broadcaster content ID (BCID)

A unique broadcaster-specific content ID for each programme/episode/version provided by a broadcaster in their transmission log submissions.

C28 TV set viewing

Consolidated 28-day TV set viewing includes time spent watching on a TV set. This includes viewing to programmes and commercials on Barb-reported channels live and up to 28 days after the time of broadcast; for programmes, this is regardless of whether the viewing is through a recording device or a BVOD service. Viewing is counted as having taken place at the time of broadcast. C28 TV set viewing is reported across television homes.

C7 TV set viewing

Consolidated 7-day TV set viewing is time spent watching on a TV set. This includes viewing to programmes and commercials on Barb-reported channels live and up to seven days after the time of broadcast; for programmes, this is regardless of whether the viewing is through a recording device or a BVOD service. Viewing is counted as having taken place at the time of broadcast. C7 TV set viewing is reported across television homes.

CAPI

Computer assisted personal interview. A face-to-face interview where the questionnaire is administered by the interviewer using a laptop computer, which presents each question on the screen and interviewers directly record respondents replies. The Barb establishment survey is carried out by the CAPI method.

CCIDS genre

A classification of a programme’s genre assigned by Barb’s contractor, MetaBroadcast, in the CCIDs master file. There are seventeen top-level genres and a range of sub-genres to classify every programme.

CPT

Cost-per-thousand. The cost of one thousand commercial impacts for a target audience. Cost-per-thousand (CPT) is used when purchasing and measuring the efficiency of advertising campaigns.

Cable

Television services which are transmitted over wires rather than over the airwaves.

Chief Income Earner

The member of the household with the greatest total income.

Children

Barb reports viewing for Children aged 4-15.

Combined content ID system (CCIDS)

CCIDs is a content identification system operated by MetaBroadcast on behalf of Barb since January 1st 2020. It provides a master file which places content in a hierarchy to link individual episodes to a programme; assigns programmes with a genre; and links broadcast and on-demand content across platforms. The master file is therefore a complete and consistent source of programme and genre information. It is a key input to Project Dovetail to help assign viewing profiles to programmes watched via tablets, smartphones and PCs.

Commercial Audience Factoring

For special cases where TV companies transmit commercials on a sub-area basis (e.g. North Scotland/Central Scotland), commercial audiences are calculated by applying a factor to the total area audience. The factor is based on the relative homes universe for each sub-area.

Consolidated Audience

The consolidated audience is the sum of the live and timeshift audiences.

Coverage/Cover

See Reach.

DCab

Digital Cable.

DSat

Digital satellite. 

DTT

Digital terrestrial television. 

DVDR

DVD recorder.

Database 1

Database 1 contains the raw viewing statements for each home and individual in the Barb reporting panel for each day, together with all the classification details for each home and individual, needed for panel control and reporting purposes.

Database 2

Database 2 contains pre-processed time-based audiences (based on 1, 5, and 15 minute intervals) as well as audiences for programme transmissions, commercial spots and commercial breaks.

Datafiles: PV2

Barb Panel Viewing File 2: the standard datafiles that contain demographic data about each home, individual & metered TV set in the reporting panel for the given day, together with the home’s viewing data. These are Database 1 datafiles at the lowest-reported level, enabling reach & frequency calculations to be conducted.As of November 30th 2021, the PV2 datafiles includes total identified viewing (total broadcaster viewing + total SVOD/AVOD viewing + total video-sharing viewing); total SVOD/AVOD viewing and total video-sharing viewing at an aggregate level; service and programme data for Barb-subscribing SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing services.PV2 files are issued daily, the day after viewing takes place and refer to the polling day, i.e. 2:00 a.m. to 1:59 (25:59). See also: PVX and 30-hour clock.

Datafiles: PVE

This stands for Enhanced Barb Panel Viewing File, introduced from November 30th 2021. These are identical to PV2 files but also include service-level reporting of non-Barb-subscribing SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing platforms and programme viewing for Amazon Prime Video and Netflix via TV sets. These files can only be accessed by Barb underwriters and customers that hold a section 9 licence and have agreed to Barb’s data-sharing rules.

Datafiles: PVX

This stands for Calibrated Barb Panel Viewing File, introduced in January 2020 as part of Project Dovetail. These datafiles are similar to PV2 files but also contain calibrated modelled viewing of broadcast channels and BVOD services on smartphones, tablets and PCs. From November 30th 2021, these files also included aggregate level SVOD/AVOD and video sharing viewing via TV and other screens.Barb makes specific recommendations for users on which analyses are supported by the modelled other screens BVOD data set. For details of the supported analyses please refer to Appendix H of the Barb Calculation Methodology.PVX files are issued daily but report viewing that took place eight days before (TX + 8). See also: PV2.

Datafiles: PXE

This stands for Calibrated Enhanced Barb Panel Viewing File, introduced from November 30th 2021. These are identical to PVX files but also include service-level reporting of non-Barb-subscribing SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing platforms and programme viewing for Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. This additional viewing is reported for both TV and other screens. These files can only be accessed by Barb underwriters and customers that hold a section 9 licence and have agreed to Barb’s data-sharing rules.

Datafiles: Standard and Enhanced

There are two types of datafiles issued by Barb: standard and enhanced.Standard datafiles include:total identified viewing (total broadcaster viewing + total SVOD/AVOD viewing + total video-sharing viewing),total SVOD/AVOD viewing and total video-sharing viewing at an aggregate level,service and programme data for broadcaster and SVOD/AVOD services that subscribe to Barb, andservice data for video-sharing services.These datafiles are named PV2 and PVX.Enhanced datafiles include everything in the standard datafiles, plus:service-level viewing of non-subscribing SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing platforms and,programme data on non-subscribing SVOD services.The enhanced datafiles are named PVE and PXE.

Daypart

A daypart is a section of the viewing day, for example breakfast (0600-0924) or peak time (for which there are various definitions).

Device

A device is the term for non-TV-set equipment used for viewing (tablet, PC and smartphone). It can also be used to refer to the equipment used to deliver programming to a TV set, such as a personal video recorder (PVR).

Digital TV

All televisions platforms now use digital signal wavelengths. The digital wavelengths are transmitted in a binary format which allows more information to be carried within the same bandwidth than analogue, resulting in more channels, better quality picture, sound and interactive services.

Digital switchover

The government switched off all the analogue broadcast wavelengths for television (see digital TV). The process of transitioning all broadcasts to digital technology was completed in October 2012. The switchover process was completed over a five year period.

Dovetail

Project Dovetail is the name of Barb’s initiative to deliver total reach of programme and commercial audiences across multiple screens.The method for achieving this relies on two data sets: panel data and device-based data. These two sources are combined using a process called Dovetail Fusion, which results in multiple-screen viewing figures.

EPG

Electronic programme guide. Channel and programme listing service available on digital TV. 

Encrypted channels

A viewing card is required to enable viewing to these channels. 

Establishment Survey

Survey undertaken to determine the ownership of television equipment and demographic characteristics of the population. Results are used to determine the panel controls against which the panel is maintained. Barb establishment survey respondents also provide the pool of households from which Barb panel homes are recruited.

First Day Sample

Panel members reporting on the first day of a given time period (e.g. a schedule of commercial spots). A first day sample is a commonly used sample base for reach and frequency analysis (see also middle day sample).

Focal meter

This is Kantar’s name for its router meter that is installed in Barb panel homes. See also: Router meter.

Free-to-air channels

No subscription fee is payable in order to view the channel. The majority of the channels on the digital terrestrial platform are free-to-air channels.

Frequency (Average Frequency)

The (average) number of times a commercial is seen by those within the target audience who see it at all. Average frequency is sometimes referred to as average OTS (see OTS).

GRP

Gross rating point. Often used as a measure of the overall weight of an advertising campaign. One rating point is numerically equivalent to one per cent of the target audience (see also TVR).

Gold standard

Any audience measure generated by data-collection methodologies and procedures approved through Barb’s joint-industry governance.

Guest Viewing

Viewing by non panel members within panel homes. Guests are asked to provide details of their sex and age group via the peoplemeter handset. Regular guests may be allocated their own button on the handset, though their viewing will continue to be treated as guest viewing.

HDTV

High definition television. A television service containing a high number of pixels which delivers a clearer and sharper picture.

Handset (Barb)

A device similar to a remote control which panel members use to register and deregister their presence in a room where a television set is on.

Head of Household

The head of household is the household member who either owns the property, is responsible for paying the rent, has use of the home as a result of his/her job, or is related to the owner or main tenant (where the owner or main tenant is not a regular member of the household).

Hours/Minutes of Viewing

The amount of television watched by a particular audience category. This is usually expressed as an average over a given time period.

Household Size

The number of individuals who regularly live in the household.

Houseperson

The member of the household who is solely or mainly responsible for the household duties. A houseperson may be male or female. There is only one houseperson per household.

Houseperson with Children

Houseperson living in a household in which a child (or children) aged 0-15 also lives.

IPTV

Internet protocol television. A method of delivering television services via broadband.

Impacts

A measure of viewing to commercial spots. One impact is one member of the target audience viewing one commercial. Impacts are added together to give, e.g. the total impacts delivered by a particular spot, the gross total achieved by a particular advertising campaign or the total supplied by a given channel. A total of 10 impacts could be achieved in a number of ways: by ten people viewing a single commercial; by one person seeing the commercial ten times; by five people seeing the commercial twice and so on.

Individuals

Barb reports audiences for Individuals aged 4+.

Lifestyle Insights

All panel members aged 16+ complete a questionnaire which asks, for example, about their leisure activities, holidays, spending habits and also includes some attitudinal statements. This data is analysed in conjunction with database 1 to allow groups of TV viewers to be analysed according to their interests.

Linear viewing

Live or timeshifted viewing of broadcast television channels. This does not include content available on BVOD services that has not yet appeared in a linear TV schedule.

Live Audience

The audience to a minute, commercial, daypart or programme at the time of its transmission.

Macro Region

Area created by the aggregation of one or more ITV areas. A detailed breakdown of Barb-reported macro regions is provided in the Barb reference manual.

Measured (whitelisted) services

This is a list of BVOD, SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing services that are monitored by router meters installed in Barb panel homes. The list can change as new services are launched and others are closed.

Measured-from date

This is the date from when Barb started measuring viewing of non-linear BVOD and SVOD programmes that are in Barb’s audio-reference library. For SVOD programmes, there may be a delay between the date that a programme is released on an SVOD service and the date from which it is measured.

Messages

See impacts.

Metabroadcast ID (MBID)

A unique content ID assigned by Barb’s contractor, MetaBroadcast, for every programme/episode in the CCIDs master file. This is available within eight days of transmission for broadcast programmes and within eight days of the measured from date for non-linear programmes. See also: Combined Content ID system.

Metabroadcast title

This is the title assigned by Barb’s contractor, MetaBroadcast, to every programme/episode in the CCIDs master file. It is made from a combination of title, series number and episode number, if provided, e.g. Sherlock: series 1, episode 2. Films are titled as FILM: Content Name (YYYY), e.g. FILM: Emma (2020). See also: Combined Content ID system.

Metadata

These are data that provide contextual information about the programmes that are viewed. These data enhance the usability of the viewing data enabling users to understand more about the viewing. Barb’s metadata include information such as title, duration and the genre of the programme viewed in the CCIDs master file. See also: Combined Content ID system (CCIDs).

Middle Day Sample

Panel members reporting on the middle day of a given time period (e.g. a schedule of commercial spots). This is often used as a sample base for reach and frequency analysis (see also first day sample).

Minute Attribution

The clock minute is the basic reporting unit within the Barb system. An Individual is deemed to be a viewer for a particular clock minute if present in the room with the TV on for at least 31 seconds of that clock minute. A particular minute is attributed to the channel to which the set was tuned longest within that minute.

Multi-Channel Home

A home able to receive cable, satellite or digital terrestrial transmissions.

Multi-Set Home

A home possessing more than one television in working order (see television home).

NBD

Negative Binomial Distribution. A probability model used in the calculation of reach and frequency for commercial spot schedules.

Network

When used in a Barb context, network is usually equivalent to all areas of the UK (i.e. a network programme is one shown in all areas of the UK).

Network: Online Multiple-Screens Network (Panel 751)

A subset of the Barb TV and/or online network panel. This network comprises the Online TV Network plus broadband-only homes that are capable of watching streaming services on non-TV devices.

Network: Online TV Network (Panel 51)

A subset of the Barb network panel that is equivalent in design to the full UK Network panel. This reporting area includes homes that have at least one TV set and a router meter. It also includes non-broadband homes which have returned data from TV-set meters.

Nil Viewer

A panel home (or individual panel member) which does not view any television across a given time period is known as a nil viewer.

Non-linear viewing

Viewing of services that do not have a broadcast schedule, such as SVOD and video-sharing platforms. This also includes viewing of content on BVOD services before broadcast, or content that has not aired in broadcast schedules within the last 28 days. We can report this viewing with the cooperation of the broadcaster and it is included in total broadcaster viewing.

OTS

Opportunity to see ads in a campaign. Total (target audience) OTS of a television campaign is equivalent to the total number of (target audience) impacts delivered by that campaign. Average OTS is equivalent to average frequency (see frequency).

On-demand

Viewing of a programme or advert that is not via live broadcast television or recorded on a personal video recorder (PVR). Generally, it refers to viewing that is via a website, app or smart TV service, digital box or any other device.

Online Content Resolution (OCR) rules

Rules applied to viewing that takes place on VOD platforms to ensure that viewing is not double counted. In general, non-live viewing via VOD platforms to content that has been on a compatible channel is allocated to the channel that it was transmitted on.

Other uses of the TV set

All uses of the TV set that are not part of total identified viewing. This is composed of unidentified viewing and other viewing.

Other viewing

TV set viewing that is neither part of total identified viewing or unidentified viewing. Includes activities such as interactive, EPG and radio listening through the TV set.

Out-Of-Home Viewing

Barb measures TV viewing within private domestic households. The only type of out-of-home viewing captured is guest viewing (see guest viewing).

Overnights

The previous day’s viewing is released to the industry at 9.30am the next day. This includes both live and VOSDAL viewing.

PVR

Personal video recorder. Digital recorder, e.g. Sky +, V+ and others, that allows a viewer to record programmes from an EPG and pause live TV for later viewing.

Panel

Sample of people used for regular research. The Barb panel consists of 5,300 homes, which is more than 12000 individuals aged 4+. Their television viewing is measured and reported every single day.

Panel 50

The full network panel.

Panel 72

Homes with digital satellite and/or cable.

Pay TV

TV service that requires a viewer to pay a one off or regular subscription fee in order to view. 

Pay-per-view

Pay TV service allowing users to pay for each programme they watch rather than via a monthly fee. For example, box office films may be watched via pay-per-view.

People Meter

Generic name for the electronic measurement system which monitors the channel that a TV set is tuned to and the individuals present in the room while the TV set is switched on.

Persistence

The length of time that a TV needs to be in a particular status (e.g. tuned to a particular channel) before this status is recorded by the meter. This is currently set to 15 seconds.

Platform

A term encompassing the various ways in which a home can receive television. There are three platforms currently reported: digital terrestrial, digital satellite and digital cable.

Playback

Viewing of broadcast material that has been recorded (see also timeshift audience).

Polling

The daily process whereby the meters send back collected data to be processed into viewing figures.

Population

The number of people in the universe or target group.

Preference to View

Within a household able to receive more than one ITV1 regional station, preference to view is the extent to which one station is viewed rather than another. It is measured in the establishment survey interview as number of hours (out of ten) for which the household watches each station.

Programme Genre

A classification of programmes into particular types (e.g. drama, sport, documentary).

Programme sponsorship

A form of promotion where a company or product associates itself with a programme. This is done via credits at the beginning and end of the programme and in the programme breaks.

Random Probability Sample

Sample designed to strict procedures to ensure that each member of the target audience has a known chance of being selected for interview. Barb establishment survey interviewees are selected via random probability sampling.

Rating

See TVR.

Reach

The net number or percentage of people who have seen a particular piece of broadcast output (e.g. a programme, daypart, channel, TV advertising campaign).Programme or daypart reach assesses what percentage of the population saw a specified amount of a programme or daypart. It is also used cumulatively to assess the total net percentage that saw a specified amount of a complete series/month of television etc. There are various ways of defining the amount of viewing an individual must have done in order to be counted as having been reached. The Barb definition is for this to be at least three consecutive minutes.For TV advertising campaigns, reach (the net percentage of the target audience to have at least one opportunity to see the campaign) is often used in conjunction with frequency (the average number of times the campaign was seen by those within the target audience who were reached) to produce an overall measure of campaign exposure.

Reduced Screen Viewing

Viewing which takes place where the main broadcast channel is shown in reduced size within a screen that has other content.

Regions

See Areas.

Router meter

This is the generic term for the meter attached to the WiFi router in Barb panel homes. It tracks streaming activity from a specific list of BVOD, SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing platforms by any member of the household on any device, with their consent. Router-meter data enable Barb to measure the reach and aggregate time spent viewing SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing platforms.

SI Coding

This is the technique used to measure viewing on TV sets connected to a Sky set-top box in Barb panel homes. The TV set meter is connected to the Sky box. It extracts the Service Information (SI) code directly from the Sky box and uses this to identify the content and channel being viewed.

SVOD

Subscription video-on-demand service. Subscribers have access to specific programming for a regularly charged fee.

SVOD programme measurement system

This system enables Barb to report the programmes viewed on TV sets on the most-watched SVOD services in Barb panel homes. It matches audio signatures taken from Barb panelists’ TV sets with a reference library to identify the SVOD programming watched.

SVOD reference library

Barb measures the programmes viewed on TV sets on the most-watched SVOD services in Barb panel homes. The SVOD reference library is the directory of programmes measured on these services. Currently it contains programmes shown on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Disney+. It is designed to enable the measurement of the most-watched programming on these services.

Sample Size

The number of individuals in a sample group.

Set-top box

Supplied to satellite, cable and digital terrestrial homes to enable them to receive signals to their television sets.

Share (Share of Viewing)

The percentage of the total viewing audience watching over a given period of time. This can apply to channels, programmes, time periods etc. For example, a share of 33% for The Voice UK would mean that, of all the viewers watching television when The Voice UK was being transmitted, 33% were watching The Voice UK.

Simulcast

The simultaneous broadcasting of the same programme on different TV channels. Simulcast can also refer to the same channel being broadcast on different platforms.

Social Grade

A classification of household social status based on the occupation of the chief income earner. Barb reports the following social grades:AB – higher (A) or intermediate (B) managerial, administrative or professionalC1 – supervisory or clerical and junior managerial, administrative or professionalC2 – skilled manual workersD – semi-skilled and unskilled workersE – state pensioners, casual or lowest grade workers

Spot

An individual occurrence of a commercial.

Staggercast

Broadcast of channel output on a secondary channel at a fixed time after the original broadcast. The most commonly used time lag is one hour, and such secondary channels are often labelled “+1”.

Sub-Group Factoring

A technique used to calculate audiences for reporting sub-categories in the four smallest ITV area panels (North East, Border, West, South West). Details of the calculation are provided in the Barb reference manual (see also audience category).

TV-set screen time

Time spent viewing TV sets. This includes total identified viewing and other uses of the TV set.

TVR

The TVR (television rating) is the measure of the popularity of a programme, daypart, commercial break or advertisement by comparing its audience to the population as a whole. One TVR is numerically equivalent to one per cent of a target audience. For example, if Coronation Street achieved a Women aged 16-34 TVR of 12 in Yorkshire this means that, on average during the programme, 12% of all Women aged 16-34 in the Yorkshire region watched Coronation Street.Commercial campaigns are frequently assessed by adding the TVRs of their individual spots to produce a gross rating point total (see also GRP).

Tagging

Tagged BVOD services generate programme viewing statements to Barb’s specification at a census level from TV sets, tablets, PCs and smartphones.

Television Home

A household which has at least one television in working order (or if not, for which arrangements have been made for repair within seven days) is classed as a TV home.

Thirty Hour Clock

For reporting purposes within database 2 the Barb broadcast day runs for 24 hours from 6am. Times beyond 24:59 are reported using a thirty hour clock. For example 01:00 is shown as 25:00, 05:59 is shown as 29:59 etc.

Thirty Second Equivalent Impacts

See Weighted Impacts.

Timeshift Audience

The playback audience to a video or PVR/DVDR recording of a minute, commercial, daypart or programme. The recording must be played back within 7 days of the original transmission to be counted by Barb and included in the Barb gold standard calculations.Since July 2013 Barb has made available timeshifted viewing up to 28 days after the original transmission. It can be added to the live data. This viewing is not included in the Barb gold standard calculations.

Total SVOD/AVOD viewing

Reach and time spent viewing subscription and advertising-funded VOD services, including Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix. Barb reports this viewing on four screens. This only includes viewing through a home’s WiFi network. This is reported as viewed.

Total broadcaster viewing

Reach and time spent viewing broadcast channels and broadcaster-owned VOD services (BVOD). This may include live, pre- and post-broadcast viewing, non-linear and viewing to archive box-sets on a BVOD service. Barb captures and reports this viewing across four screens — TV sets, tablets, PCs and smartphones. For tagged services, this includes any viewing streamed through something other than the home WiFi network. This is reported as viewed.

Total four-screen viewing

Total four-screen viewing includes: C7 TV set viewing; C28 TV set viewing; non-linear viewing on TV sets from cooperating broadcasters and viewing Barb-reported VOD services on tablets, PCs and smartphones. We report total four-screen viewing on our website across a universe that includes television homes and broadband-only homes.

Total identified viewing

Barb’s new definition of total viewing. This has three constituent categories: total broadcaster viewing, total SVOD/AVOD viewing and total video-sharing viewing.

Total screen time

Total screen time includes total identified viewing across four screens and other uses of the TV set. This is reported as viewed.

Total video-sharing viewing

Reach and time spent viewing video-sharing platforms such as TikTok, Twitch and YouTube, on four screens. This only includes viewing through a home WiFi network. This is reported as viewed.

Transmission Hours

The length of time that a channel broadcasts in any given day.

Transmission Log

A detailed description of the events (programmes, commercials etc) broadcast each day by a particular channel. The logs are combined with minute-by-minute Barb audience data so that audiences can be reported for particular programmes, commercial breaks or individual commercial spots.

Transmission day

The date that a programme or advert was broadcast. Often shortened to TX.

Uncovered Set Viewing

The situation where a television set is switched on but no-one is present in the room is known as uncovered set viewing.

Unidentified viewing

TV set viewing that cannot be identified as part of total identified viewing or other viewing. This includes activities like gaming, viewing of DVDs/box sets, viewing linear content via PVR 29+ days after broadcast and viewing of unreferenced channels or SVOD/AVOD and video-sharing services.

Universe

The total population of a particular audience category. The universe can be based solely on television homes or a combination of television and broadband-only homes.For example, the network universe for ABC1 women in television homes is the total number of ABC1 women living within television homes in the UK. The network universe for 16-34-year-olds in both television and broadband-only homes is the total number of 16-34s living within homes with a TV set and/or broadband connection in the UK.

VOD

Video-on-demand. A service that offers programming available to watch on-demand or live streamed on TV sets or devices.

VOD indicator

An indicator in the viewing data as to whether viewing is via VOD or another means, such as linear playback via PVR. This can be run in conjunction with the viewing data to split out VOD use from PVR use as the source of timeshift viewing or to identify simulcast viewing.

VOD provider

An indicator in the viewing data of the VOD service used for viewing, e.g. Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub etc.

VOD service

An indicator in the viewing data that provides more contextual information on the delivery of the VOD service.

VOSDAL

Viewing on same day as live. Timeshifted viewing that has been viewed on the same day as the original broadcast is included in the overnight file which is released at 9.30am the following day (see overnights).

Video-sharing platform

A video-sharing site such as TikTok, YouTube or Twitch.

Viewing

A panel member (or guest) is defined to be viewing when they are present in a room with a TV set switched on.

Viewing day

The day that reported viewing takes place, even if the programme was broadcast on a previous date. Reported in as viewed analysis.

Watermarking

This is a technique for identifying channels viewed when they cannot be distinguished by audio samples alone. Examples include channels that are distributed in both HD and SD, simulcast or via VOD services. A watermark is a sub-audible code that is inserted into a channel’s audio for detection by the TV-set meter in Barb panel homes; it enables the meter to know which version of the channel is being viewed. See also: audio-matching/ audio-referencing.

Weighted impacts/messages

Impacts may be weighted back to a thirty second equivalent according to the value of any commercial length relative to a 30 second spot. The relative values differ according to individual broadcasters and are published as commercial length rate factors.

Zapping

Channel hopping through different television channels.

Zipping

Fast forwarding through recorded commercials when watching a pre-recorded programme.