The Post Analysis Guidelines is the first of three co-funded projects co-developed by CIMM and the TVB, to support the local TV marketplace, and aims to achieve reliable, stable and accurate post analysis where the projected rating is compared with the measured rating after an advertisement runs.

The recommended guidelines include a four-week aggregation and/or aggregation of units for post analysis, and a 90% posting threshold, which refers to the sensitivity of the comparison between the projected rating and the measured rating.

A four-week aggregation and/or aggregation of units is recommended for all markets regardless of methodology where variability is 50% or greater, and flexibility is recommended for special events, one-time programmes or tent-pole programmes where aggregation guidelines may not be required due to limited telecasts and higher audience sizes.

For programmes with smaller audiences and sample sizes, greater aggregation may be needed, the CIMM and TVB said.

Jon Watts, managing director at CIMM, said: “Despite the changes the local TV marketplace has seen, and even though the practice of day/date-based post analysis is not supported in today’s environment of fragmented audiences, it continues to be used.

“Through these guidelines, it is the hope of CIMM and TVB to promote practices that are in alignment with the modern local TV landscape.”

Hadassa Gerber, executive vice-president, chief research officer at TVB, added: “In order to appropriately support the measurement of TV and video campaigns both now and in the future, the industry must both recoup and reinvigorate.

“It is our hope that these guidelines, as well as the other projects we’re working on with CIMM, will serve as foundational stepping stones that educate the industry on innovations and a path forward for the modern local TV ecosystem.”