News & Views

Barb, the industry’s standard for understanding what people watch, today announced the commissioning of two prototypes and two new data sources for Barb Panel Plus, which extends Barb’s use of big data sets for integration with panel data.

In May 2024, Barb issued an ITT for Barb Panel Plus, covering three components:

1. Methodology – design of a fit-for-purpose data fusion methodology to bring together panel data with return path data, first-party server data and BVOD census data.
2. Data processing and delivery – development of software to process data according to the fusion methodology, to a schedule and on demand.
3. Data provision – sources of TV viewing data, such as return path data and first-party server data, to fuse with and enhance the panel data.

Barb has commissioned two new complementary sources of TV viewing data for the third component: return-path data from Sky set-top boxes in 900k UK homes, sourced by TVbeat, and return-path data from connected TV sets with HbbTV and MHEG software up to 26 million homes, sourced by TVA.

In addition, Barb has commissioned two prototypes to cover the first two of these components, one from Kantar Media and another from RSMB and Sopra Steria. Both prototypes are expected to harness the new sources of data together with Barb’s existing fusion of BVOD census data and panel data.

This will conclude the Barb Panel Plus tender process; Barb will take a longer-term decision on the next phase of development in Q4 2025.

Caroline Baxter, Chief Operating Officer at Barb, said:

“For the past seven years, we have harnessed the complementary benefits of big data collected from devices in conjunction with data sourced from our representative UK panel of households. Big data provide a precise measurement of the volume of viewing; while panel data provide valuable insight into who and how many people are in front of the screen.

“By integrating further new sources of big data, Barb Panel Plus will enhance our audience measurement by improving data consistency, reducing zero-rated spots and facilitating insight into business outcomes for our clients.”

Barb’s measurement of viewing of broadcasters’ VOD services has been powered by a fusion of panel data and big data since the launch of Dovetail Fusion in 2018. This combines BVOD census data sourced from devices with data from Barb’s representative UK panel. Barb Panel Plus is the next iteration, which will build on and replace Dovetail Fusion.