MEC estimates bigger opening for KBC 2012

MEC has announced its estimation of television ratings for Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) which premieres on 7 September.

The agency cites the key influencing factors factored in its methodology as: program promotions on the broadcaster’s network and other channels, promotion across other media, search volume index as a measure of viewer buzz and base channel share of the airing channel (Sony).

Based on this methodology, MEC estimates that the KBC rating for the opening weekend will be 5.4 TVR (15 years+, SEC ABC, all India). This is 10 per cent higher than the opening TVR of 4.9 last season.

MEC estimates that the program will deliver higher for three reasons: increase in base viewership for Sony, search volumes indicating double the buzz of last year, and the show moving to the weekend, avoiding a clash with soaps.

GeethaShiv, national director, analytics & insight, MEC, said, “The performance of this season of KBC will be followed closely by media and clients given that last season had helped Sony displace competition. MEC’s initiative in estimating ratings of such high expectation properties like IPL, World Cup and now KBC, is part of our endeavour to deliver insights that help our clients in formulating their investment decisions.”

Like it did for an estimation of IPL ratings, the agency has partnered Meritus Analytics India for the KBC prediction.

MEC and Meritus built a statistical model using a set of TV shows to understand the factors affecting PUT (people using television) and channel share for non-sports programs, before the estimate was arrived at, an MEC statement said.

Sunder Muthuraman, managing partner, Meritus Analytics, commented, “We have used best in class statistical methods to estimate KBC ratings. Our finding that KBC advertising on other channels had the highest impact on the increased PUT of the program time slot seems to suggest that substantial part of the increased rating is likely from viewers of other channels and time bands tuning into Sony during KBC.”