BARB to include video-sharing site content in new ratings model

UK television ratings agency Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) is to expand how it measures viewer numbers by including fit-for-TV content on video-sharing platforms.

Justin Sampson

The decision comes after a consultation led by BARB last autumn, asking UK TV and advertising executives to help establish what type of content on sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok and Twitch should be considered part of a new ratings model.

The industry-wide consensus was that such content should be produced to quality standards including regulatory compliance, is safe and suitable for advertisers and is made with editorial input and oversight.

In recent years, BARB has recalibrated its ratings model to adapt to the evolution of TV viewing habits from the traditional linear channel experience to include digital streaming platforms.

In 2021, BARB introduced daily audience reporting for SVoD, AVoD and video-sharing platforms at a service level. In addition, it also began to report programme audiences for shows on leading VoD platforms, with Disney+ and Netflix both signing up to join BARB.

The organisation already measures broadcaster content on video-sharing social media site YouTube and is now looking to extend this across other platforms.

“Our brand-new positioning builds on our forward-looking approach to measure viewing behaviour that isn’t constrained by devices, distribution platform or business model,” said Justin Sampson, chief executive at BARB.

“We don’t yet have all the answers for how and when we will extend our reporting of content on video-sharing platforms. Equally we know our capabilities are always enhanced by the active participation of businesses that make content and the platforms that distribute it.”