Ratings Information

For 2011 ratings reports including top programs and viewing share, please click here.

Australia’s television ratings provide advertisers with the ability to analyse who is viewing what and when on a daily basis. In fact, it is one of the most sophisticated ratings systems in the world; reliable, independent and transparent. It is what makes television a truly accountable and quantifiable medium.

Ratings Databases

In Australia, there are three (3) main panels/databases:

1. The Metro Panel
OzTAM is the official source of metropolitan television ratings data for the five mainland capital cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. These ratings are drawn from the metropolitan panel which is comprised of a representative sample of homes. The panel also incorporates a representative number of pay television homes.

2. The Regional Panel
RegionalTAM is the official source for regional television ratings. It covers - regional Queensland, northern NSW, southern NSW, regional Victoria, Tasmania and regional Western Australia.

3. The National Subscription Panel
OzTAM also measures pay TV viewing via a specific national subscription TV database. This is not a representative sample of the general population as it only includes homes with pay television. The pay TV database is drawn from both metro and regional areas; therefore comparisons of figures from the national pay TV database with figures from the metro or regional database are invalid.

How Ratings Are Compiled

For more information on how television ratings are compiled including universe estimates, maps and coverage areas, terms and definitions, download the following comprehensive ratings guides:

OzTAM - Television Ratings Guide 
Click here

Regional TAM - Regional Toolkit 
Click here

Survey Periods

There are ten (10) official Survey Periods throughout the year (each comprising between 4-5 weeks) – these exclude Summer and Easter.

2012 OzTAM Survey Calendar 
Click here

More Information

For more information on how television ratings are compiled or if you require ad hoc reports, please contact OzTAM for metropolitan and national subscription TV information or RegionalTAM for information on regional ratings data.

OzTAM
(02) 9229 7210

RegionalTAM
(03) 9699 7544

Nielsen Television Audience Measurement
(02) 9490 6500 or 1800 555 020