TiVo PowerWatch Digs Into Demographics

PowerWatch Consumer Panel a Partnership with Media Buyer Starcom USA

By Jon Hemingway -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/8/2007 7:01:00 PM

Digital-video-recorder pioneer TiVo is launching a new research tool for advertisers, PowerWatch Consumer Panel, that will give advertisers a more detailed look at viewers.

The new service -- which TiVo is launching in partnership with media buyer Starcom USA -- will allow advertisers access to behavioral and demographic data of a sample of TiVo subscribers. TiVo assembled a volunteer consumer panel of 20,000 households that anonymously provide their demographic data, which TiVo can marry to the viewing data to produce detailed reports on programming and commercial viewership. Advertisers will also be able to poll the panelists.

"With 20,000 households, the PowerWatch Consumer Panel will provide a new level of detail on DVR-viewing behavior among any given brand's target segments that will significantly enhance the approach advertisers take in creating and buying advertising on television," TiVo vice president and general manager of audience research and measurement Todd Juenger said in a statement.

This is the latest addition to a suite of audience-measurement features provided by the DVR maker and service provider as an alternative to Nielsen Media Research ratings data. The company’s StopWatch service measures programming and commercial viewership and its Season Passes data track shows’ that subscribers record on a season-long basis.