The number of digital users is increasing every year, but we cannot deny that TV is still the most accessible channel to Thai people (95% of Thai households have access to TV). Some users have switched from watching via a traditional TV player to the digital TV channel, Nielsen found that TV viewing via Smart TV grew by 147% from 2019 during the pre-Covid-19 outbreak, and over 45% watched TV via mobile phones, an increase of 83%.
When the trend of the audience goes more online, TV has adapted by making content in online formats and also building their own platform like OneD from Channel One31 or 3+ from channel 3. This makes the current streaming market so lively yet intense. Viewers have more options and more ways to watch Thai TV than ever. The latest data surveyed in the first quarter of 2022 found that 59% of Thai viewers are watching content via streaming platforms or OTT, which increased by 103% from 2019.
According to our recent State of Play study in the US, Nielsen also found that many viewers are willing to pay to subscribe to content, although there are currently many platforms. For example, Americans today pay to subscribe to around 2-3 streaming platforms per person.
Local news is booming
Not only has the trend of watching TV changed, but the content that Thai people watch on TV has also changed. In 2019, the content consumed the most by Thai people is Thai drama/series (54%), but the content that Thai people watch the most in 2022 is the local news (52%).. We believe that one of the main reasons comes from the Covid-19 situation that has contributed to the change in behavior. In the beginning of the pandemic, people followed local news, daily reports, and current situations around the country. In 2022, many news broadcasters, in addition to linear TV, also have live online channels which enable the audience to reach them more easily.
The new model of measurement
The current challenge is that we have many viewers who are still watching TV, but the viewers are scattered and fragmented across different channels; people who watch via TV screens and online screens have different viewing behaviors. To understand the audience better and to get a full picture of who the real audience is, the industry needs a rating system that can measure both on TV and digital simultaneously. This currency will bring a new understanding of Thailand's dynamic population and the multiple ways they consume content to marketers and publishers, creating new opportunities for advertisers and driving engagement in content from viewers.
Nielsen Thailand is developing a cross-platform audience measurement solution, a joint project with ADTEB and the National Television and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). Nielsen has implemented the plan with the installation of the system, and equipment. Currently, we are working on data validation. We are expected to report the results of the first phase of cross-platform audience measurement in the third quarter of 2022.
To implement this cross-platform audience measurement solution, Nielsen Thailand has developed the latest research system technology, which is already being used in the United States and accepted in many countries around the world.
Aaron Rigby, Managing Director, Nielsen Thailand, said: " It is the right time for the industry to bring robust video measurement to Thailand. This currency will bring a new understanding of Thailand's dynamic population and the multiple ways they consume video to marketers and publishers, creating new opportunities for advertisers and driving engagement in content from viewers."
Source: Nielsen Thailand