| Q.7
Is CAS going to be a parameter for panel recruitment?
The
parameters used by TAM in recruiting panel home are called control
parameters.
Concept of a control parameter : TAM currently uses a range of parameters
to ensure that the proportions of various demographics are in line
with either those of the universe or those that are deliberately
chosen to be disproportionate to the universe.
For Eg. A deliberate over-sampling as in case of SEC A, where the
proportion of homes in the sample will be much greater than that
of the universe. These parameters are called Control Parameters.
Control parameters are further divided as:
(A) Primary parameters
(B) Secondary parameters
Primary control parameters are interlocking controls: here it is
ensured that the totals match not only on an aggregate basis but
on an interlocking basis. Thus, we need to not only ensure 25% of
the panel are SEC A homes (SEC A being oversampled) but also ensure
that the proportion of, for instance, “SEC A x C&S x Household
size upto 4 individuals x Preference to watch Marathi programmes”
matches that of the universe.
Secondary
control parameters are those which are matched on an aggregate level
(City/Town level) in a market. Thus if 30% of Bombay’s population
lives beyond the municipal limits, the sample would also follow
the same distribution.
Primary
Controls
- SEC
-
Access (C&S/Non-C&S)
-
Household size
-
Preferred language of viewing
-
Claimed weight of viewing (within 8 cells)
Secondary
Controls
-
Geographical dispersion
-
TV type (B&W, Colour)
-
Remote Ownership
-
SEC A1/A2
CAS
as a control parameter : Having explained control parameters, in
a CAS scenario the controls will remain just as above, with the
only exception being the inclusion of CAS as an additional control.
This is going to be done as follows:
a) Initially TAM will use CAS as a secondary control – which
also ties in with the fact that CAS is going to be introduced zone-wise
and geographic dispersion is already a control Post that, the check
will be on the influence of CAS (as a variable) to decide the channel
choice. If this happens, automatically CAS as a variable will be
moved to;
b) In the next stage (depending on CAS penetration), use it as an
8 cell control variable (similar to Claimed Weight of Viewing) and
finally,
c) As a full-fledged primary control as an access variable (similar
to C&S/Non-C&S). This again depends on the penetration levels
achieved.
But presently, given that all CAS homes receive the same set of
channels they received before installing a set top box, CAS as a
variable will not be influencing channel choice among the viewer
set. Thus, as of now, CAS will be used as a secondary variable by
TAM via regular Establishment studies (CAS penetration studies)
and the panel will continue to represent within it the CAS homes
too.
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