STB data measurement complex task, group says

Activity by a working group tasked with studying the implementation of an audience measurement system via set-top boxes is slow, but steady, TV providers told the CRTC, with user privacy coming to bear as a top concern for those involved. Broadcast distribution undertakings (BDUs) — including Shaw Communications Inc., Rogers Communications Inc., Telus Corp., Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink, Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, and Cogeco Inc.— gave updates on the set-top box working group that was formed following the Let’s Talk TV proceeding as part of their applications for licence renewals. Following a competitive bid process, the group “decided to move forward with Numeris to explore the development of a single currency audience measurement system that would incorporate both Numeris’ Personal People Meter (PPM) panel data and STB audience data,” Rogers reported. “The results of the single collection to date shows that there will be a significant lack of demographic information and this fact alone will make it exceedingly difficult to integrate STB data with any other data held today,” Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Co. (SaskTel) said in its response, which was due Tuesday. SaskTel also noted a common refrain among working group members — in response to a CRTC question about how to accelerate the work — that things were moving as quickly as feasible. “The issues are complex and the key stakeholders, content providers, BDUs, and Numeris have somewhat divergent views on the matter,” its submission said. “Given the complexities of this initiative, the stakeholders have made progress and are progressing as quickly as the stakeholders allow.” Telus, whose director of regulatory affairs Ann Mainville-Neeson chairs the group, said that the CRTC “should recognize that what the Working Group is attempting to do has never been done elsewhere in the world. The aggregation of STB data from multiple BDUs into a single audience measurement system is significant undertaking, let alone combining this data together with existing audience measurement data from Numeris.” In its intervention, the Independent Broadcast Group said it “recognizes that implementing a STB system is not necessarily simple — but nor is it unduly complicated.” It noted that there are BDUs that have either made statements, or had reported, that they monitor STB data internally, in some fashion. Some of the BDUs publicly disclosed their STB data collection capabilities in their responses. Shaw said it doesn’t currently have any STBs able “to collect and return data for audience measurement purposes. Shaw Direct’s satellite service is principally a one-way service, with signals and information flowing from our satellite broadcasting facilities to receivers.” Telus provided redacted responses to questions about whether any of its STBs can collect and return data for audience measurement purposes or whether it has ever collected data, or received compensation for it. VMedia Inc. said it doesn’t have any STBs that can collect or return data, while Cogeco said that some its STBs “can collect and return data but this functionality is not currently used and would require engaging in a service agreement with a 3rd party provider and additional fees.” It added that right now, the only capability Cogeco uses “relies on network probes that detect turning events that indicate when an STB changes channels,” but that’s not available for all boxes and all channels. Videotron also has certain boxes that collect and send data, such as the amount of time subscribers are watching an entire or a part of a show, it said in its French-language response. It added that it uses the information in a limited fashion, for tasks such as network management and to improve the quality of its products, and that all analysis is internal. In a partially redacted response, Rogers said it has collected STB data and that it uses the data internally, which includes a “number of tuners tuned to the service,” and “total aggregate viewing minutes.” Rogers also said it “currently provides anonymized STB data to to establish aggregate and anonymous audience segments (e.g. moms, sports enthusiasts) as part of RMI’s programmatic TV initiative.” The IBG said “these initiatives are largely indistinguishable from a STB measurement system — except that the data is not being widely shared or contributed to a national STB audience measurements system. The primary beneficiaries are vertically integrated entities or their affiliates. Clearly, the collection and use of STB data is feasible and desirable — it is already being done by BDUs on a wide scale.” In a joint submission, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and Consumers’ Association of Canada (CAC) said their “topmost concern” about STB data collection use and disclosure was customer privacy. Among their recommendations was for providers to detail the data collection upon subscription and to obtain opt-in consent to data collection. Telus said the working group has sought advice from the federal privacy commissioner’s office, as it is “clear that there are significant privacy concerns surrounding the collection and sharing of STB viewership data.” However, the company also said “obtaining individual consent for the sharing of personal information is not considered a viable option for a STB-based audience measurement system.” PIAC and CAC said the aggregate data collected should be made publicly available. “This information, which need not necessarily be very granular, would be beneficial to all relevant parties including public interest groups,” their intervention said. The independent broadcasters also suggested that BDUs “provide all programming services access to the same anonymized STB data sets that BDUs access for their own use or provide for the use of their own or other programming services,” and that this provision should be a condition of licence. The applications will be considered in a public hearing beginning Oct. 16, which will also review the implementation of skinny basic and pick-and-pay cable rules. Among the questions posed to BDUs by the CRTC was about the number of complaints received regarding the new services between March 1, 2016 and Feb. 28, 2017. Shaw said it received 96 complaints about skinny basic packages and 92 complaints about a-la-carte channels and small theme packs. Telus said it fielded 19 skinny basic complaints and three about the pick-and-pay regime. “Indeed, of the few complaints received, most of these complaints revealed a lack of understanding by consumers of the new requirements,” Telus said, adding that “other complainants noted that the price they pay for TV services would increase if they were to subscribe to Optik TV’s new small basic package and still order all the channels they were previously receiving.” Videotron said it has received 36 skinny-basic complaints and 33 about pick-and-pay TV, while Cogeco and Rogers redacted their complaint numbers. — With reporting by Charelle Evelyn at cevelyn@thewirereport.ca and editing by Ahmad Hathout at ahathout@thewirereport.ca

STB data measurement complex task, group says

Broadcast | June 30, 2017

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