This marks the first time internet usage will be measured and compared against the industry standard TV ratings data from CSM. The result of this study will be out at the end of October.
The scope of the study covers four key markets - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan - providing China's first ever multi-market in-depth insights into TV and internet media usage behaviour.
The study makes use of a single-source research approach, using Kantar Media's TV and internet measurement technologies for internet data collection.
The 5000 series PeopleMeter tool is utilised for capturing TV viewing data, while Compete, the internet behaviour measurement specialist company of Kantar, provides the internet data collection technology.
The insights will provide a more comprehensive view of how Chinese audiences are using media, delivering valuable insight to the media planning process.
GroupM is driving the process forward with both TV and digital specialists, from across its organisation, working hand in hand with CSM to identify new and critically important insights for their clients from the new single source database.
"In this age of rapid digital transformation, it is critical to understand what media are used and how consumers use media across different platforms," Bessie Lee, CEO of GroupM China commented. "The findings we are going to get out of this study will help us plan more accurately for clients looking to leverage different kinds of media across different markets."
CSM MD Paul Wang added, "We hope this project could deliver more advanced research methods to our clients, so that they are best positioned to take advantage of the market opportunities. To involve clients, such as GroupM, in the earliest stages of our work ensures that resulting industry products and services are precisely created for strong impact."
In early July, CSM Media Research responded to TV audience measurement tampering accusations using the company's audience measurement panels.