Online publishers adopt single audience-measuring system

Leading online publishers in the Philippines, which include GMA New Media Inc., have agreed to adopt a common measurement standard that will help them in media planning decisions. "The audience measurement system is needed by respective companies. Advertisers need credible standards to make them decide where they can put their money," GMA Network Inc. chairman and chief executive officer Felipe Gozon said Monday at the signing of the memorandum of understanding. Other media organizations represented in the event were ABC-CBN Interactive Inc., BusinessWorld Publishing Corp., Inquirer Interactive Inc., PhilStar Global Corp., and Summit Publishing Co. Inc. Juan Kevin Belmonte, PhilStar president, said the use of a "credible and accurate" measuring system is a "milestone" in the development of digital space. "This is one of the first [systems] that would be used in the online news media community," said Vergel Santos, BusinessWorld publisher. "Standards are necessary. Standards are what we need in the media," he added. The online publishers have chosen Australia-based Effective Measure as the preferred solutions provider in this endeavor. Effective Measure will gather information from the respective news sites and "officially" release the important figures to advertisers and advertising agencies, said Russell Conrad, Effective Measure's Southeast Asia regional director. Essential data "We ensure that we will provide data essential to the growth of Internet usage in the Philippines," he said, pointing out that Effective Measure will remain "neutral" in the conduct of measuring web traffic information, for instance. Conrad said his firm will disclose the initial metrics of the news websites by the end of April. He said the Philippines is joining some countries in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand in working "toward the adoption of global standards and best practices in online publishing." Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, Summit Publishing president, pointed out that with the measuring system, news websites will be more aware of their role in journalism. She also said advertisers — the source of income for media firms — would have solid basis on where they intend to place advertisements because of reliable data from the uniform metrics system. According to research firm Nielsen Philippines, there will be 30 million Internet users in the country next year. — VS, GMA News