Atmedia, a sales house representing thematic television channels, presents the second part of its expert talks video series featuring, Michaela Suráková, Atmedia’s Managing Director, in conversation with leading experts from the television and media market. The guest in this edition is Wojciech Kowalczyk, an expert on the Polish television market, deputy director of advertising and marketing department of the public broadcaster TVP and co-owner of ScreenLovers, video and advertising branch service.
The latest edition of the Expert Talks interview series turns the spotlight on the out-of-home TV audience measurement – a subject that has recently gained traction across the Czech media landscape. In April, the Association of Television Organisations (ATO) awarded the contract for implementing Out-of-Home measurement to the ResSolution Group, which submitted its bid in collaboration with technology partner DCore Software. The goal of this mobile-based measurement initiative is to capture TV viewership that occurs beyond the main household – whether in second homes, restaurants, or public viewing venues – offering a more comprehensive understanding of contemporary viewing habits.
In the second part of the interview, W. Kowalczyk explains how the inclusion of Out-of-Home audience measurement has impacted overall television viewership. Among the general audience aged 4 and over, viewership increased by 8%, while in the commercial target group aged 16–59, it rose by as much as 11%. The most significant increase, however, is evident among young viewers aged 14–29 – thanks to the inclusion of Out-of-Home audience measurement, television viewership in this group has risen by 25%. ‘Younger viewers spend more time away from home – they live in student housing, frequently visit friends, and are generally less tied to a single location,’ explains W. Kowalczyk, highlighting the greater significance of Out-of-Home audience viewership in this demographic.
Out-of-Home viewership has the most significant impact on sporting events and festive programming during the Christmas and New Year period. ‘We observe a higher share of Out-of-Home viewership among thematic channels,’ notes W. Kowalczyk, referring in particular to sports, music, and children’s TV channels. For instance, thanks to Out-of-Home measurement, viewership of sports channels increased by approximately 25%, children’s channels saw a 20% rise, and one Polish music channel even recorded a 30% increase. ‘However, there are also channels where the increase is minimal or almost non-existent,’ Kowalczyk points out, typically referring to lifestyle, film, drama, or news channels. For instance, Out-of-Home measurement has contributed to a rise of around 5 to 7% in the viewership figures for daily news programming.
How has overall television viewership changed with the inclusion of Out-of-Home measurement?
The first Out-of-Home viewership data, collected in 2021, showed an average increase of 6% in overall television viewership. In the commercial target group aged 16–59, the rise was even greater at 7%.
However, for some reason, these figures later declined – possibly due to adjustments in the methodology or perhaps other factors played a role. To be honest, I don’t know the exact cause. By 2023, the overall increase in total viewership had dropped to just 4%, and in the commercial target group, from 7% to 6%.
What really stands out is the effect on younger viewers aged 14–29, where total TV viewership rose by 14% following the inclusion of Out-of-Home data. This comes as no surprise – younger viewers spend more time away from home – they live in student housing, frequently visit friends, and are generally less tied to a single location. That’s precisely why Out-of-Home viewership has a stronger impact on this age group.
Although the initial increase among the general audience had dropped to 4%, it later rose again following an audit of the methodology by the independent auditor CESP, which led to a revised definition of what constitutes a ‘home.” As a result, we now record an 8% increase in total viewership among the 4+ group audience, an 11% rise in the commercial target group, and a remarkable 25% increase among viewers aged 14–29.
I assume that the inclusion of Out-of-Home audience viewership hasn’t affected all types of TV channels and programmes equally. What differences have you observed?
Exactly – the impact varies depending on the type of channel and the genre of programming. We see the most significant effect with sporting events and festive broadcast over Christmas or New Year’s Eve. For example, viewership of the UEFA European Championship in Germany on our channels rose by 15% thanks to Out-of-Home measurement. In the case of the Poland vs France match, the increase was as much as 18%.
But it’s not just sport we’re seeing higher figures. A good example is the Home Alone movie, traditionally aired at Christmas – its viewership rose by 17% due to Out-of-Home measurement. Similarly, TVP’s New Year’s Eve programme saw an 11% increase.
On the other hand, the impact on daily news is smaller, ranging between 5% and 7%. In my view, this reflects the natural share of viewers who spend more time away from home – such as commuters or members of so-called patchwork families, where children and parents move between multiple households.
When we look at specific channels, we observe a higher share of Out-of-Home viewership among thematic channels compared to large, Free-to-Air channels. We define the latter as those with a share above 5% or 10%.
For instance, viewership of the music channel Nuta Gold rose by 30% due to Out-of-Home viewership. Children’s channels saw a rise of around 20%, and sports channels by roughly 25%. In general, smaller thematic channels – whether music, sports, or children’s – tend to have a higher share of Out-of-Home viewership than others. That said, there are also channels where the increase is minimal or almost non-existent – typically lifestyle, film, drama, or news channels.
Have you noticed any seasonality trends in Out-of-Home viewership?
Yes, but the fluctuations aren’t particularly significant. During the summer, the share of Out-of-Home viewership tends to be slightly higher, while in autumn and winter it generally declines. Overall, the share of Out-of-Home viewership in total (television) viewership remains relatively stable.
Does the inclusion of Out-of-Home audience measurement also mean more GRPs?
Yes, the 6 to 7% increase I mentioned doesn’t apply only to viewership figures – it also translates into a higher number of GRPs.
In the coming weeks, Atmedia will release the final part of its interview with W. Kowalczyk, focusing on advertisers’ reactions to the expansion of audience measurement to include Out-of-Home viewership.
