BRC TVM Glossary

Definitions for the new South African video measurement currency, launching 1 January 2027

WHAT IS DELIVERED ON 1 JANUARY 2027

On 1 January 2027, BRC replaces the TAMS TV-only currency with Total Video Measurement (TVM). TVM is one industry currency for video audiences in South Africa, published daily from a single fused panel, with defined universes for each reporting level. It covers linear TV, time-shifted viewing, connected TV on the big screen, and online video on personal devices, and is reported at two levels: Broadcaster Total TV and Total Video. There is no interim TV-only period and no back-trending against TAMS.

In one paragraph, this is what launches:

One currency, one launch date. TVM replaces TAMS on 1 January 2027 — full linear + online at launch, not phased.
One fused panel. Approximately 4,200 TV-panel homes with people meters, including router meters in approximately 25–30% of homes for connected-TV capture on the big screen, fused daily with a ~2,000-person online panel that measures online video on personal devices.
Defined universes per reporting level, refreshed from the Establishment Survey. Individuals 4+ living in TV households for Broadcaster Total TV; individuals 15+ across the Total Video universe (TV homes plus online-only individuals) for Total Video.
Two reporting levels, side by side in the same daily dataset. Broadcaster Total TV (linear + cTV-on-the-big-screen, credited to the station/channel) and Total Video (Broadcaster Total TV plus platform-level online on personal devices).
Platform-level online at launch. BVOD, OTT/SVOD and certified social video are reported at service/platform level (e.g. SABC+ total, Netflix total, YouTube total). Broadcaster programme/episode-level detail on digital is added at v2.0 in mid-2027 on the same panel and universe — an upgrade, not a currency reset.
Test data from end-October 2026. Internal BRC and broadcaster testing runs from mid-October 2026; a full month of October 2026 data onwards is released to certified software vendors and the market from end-October, through December 2026. Test data is not official currency data.
One mandatory rulebook. Every published TVM figure follows the Calculation and Reporting Rules. Any BRC-certified software vendor can deliver TVM data — no vendor lock-in.

HOW TO READ THIS GLOSSARY

Terms are listed A–Z. Bold headwords are the canonical BRC term. TAMS, the predecessor television currency, is defined under TAMS (legacy). Rulebook definitions are drawn from Calculation and Reporting Rules; methodology descriptions from BRC TVM Methodology.

Advertising break. A programme-type broadcast event with its own start/end time. Break audience is measured on the break event itself and is not derived by aggregating individual spot ratings. A break often starts with a jingle and may not start in the same minute as the first spot (V2.3 §Advertising).

Advertising contact. A valid exposure of an individual to an individual advertising spot, following the approved spot-minute exposure rule. Contacts accumulate across all spots in a campaign, all channels and the full campaign period (V2.3 §Campaign).

Advertising spot. A discrete advertising execution transmitted within a commercial break or other defined advertising context. Uniquely identified via a BRC-approved advertising identifier from the central registration and harmonisation service. All commercial elements are in scope (paid spots, promos, billboards, squeeze-backs, branded content, sponsorship, addressable/dynamic, in-content).

Aggregation rules. Results may be aggregated across days or broadcasts only when the same currency, the same reporting total, and the same reporting level apply. Results from different currencies, totals or reporting levels may not be combined, compared or aggregated in a single output.

Attribution (broadcast-centric). The default TVM logic: viewing is credited to the broadcast event (programme, channel, broadcast day) rather than to the day of viewing. Time-shifted viewing is credited back to the original broadcast within the applicable currency window. This applies to the official currency at both reporting levels. Outputs aggregated by day of viewing rather than day of broadcast are viewer-centric and non-currency — see Viewer-centric outputs.

Attribution (channel-level on CTV). Where TV-set or connected-TV viewing is positively identified via content/audio matching as a specific registered channel (e.g. SABC 1), that viewing is attributed to the channel — including at programme, break and spot level — irrespective of the platform through which it was accessed. A source/access-platform attribute preserves the delivery route (e.g. “SABC+”) for platform-level analysis but does not override the channel-level attribution.

Audience (000s). A projected audience expressed as a number of individuals in thousands. An audience of 450 (000s) means a projected 450,000 individuals. Projected from the panel to the relevant universe using individual weights, and always reported against a stated reporting level, universe and currency. Contrast with the percentage-based measures — see Rating (TVR), Reach.

Audio matching (content matching). The technology used to identify what is being watched on the big screen. GfK’s Sound Sampling Units record reference audio fingerprints of every measured channel continuously, from a primary and a backup signal source. The TV Logger 2.1 records short audio samples from the panel household’s TV set, and at the end of each broadcast day those samples are matched against the reference database to confirm which channel was watched and for how long, down to the second. In use since 2011 and reliable even for short viewing events. Audio matching is also the primary method for resolving simulcasts, identifying the platform from which viewing originated; optional broadcaster watermarking can additionally support platform identification where needed. Audio matching is a big-screen technology only — the online panel measurement app does not use it. See Attribution (channel-level on CTV), Non-matched viewing, Router measurement (router-meter measurement).

Average Audience (AA / Av Aud). The average number of individuals viewing an entity across the reporting period, expressed as a projected number of people (normally in thousands). Calculated by counting individuals viewing for each second of the period, projecting to the universe using individual weights, and averaging the projected audience over the duration. Average Audience and Rating (TVR) are two expressions of the same calculation: Average Audience is a count of people, Rating is that count as a percentage of the defined universe. Both are based on average audience, not cumulative viewing. See Rating (TVR), Audience (000s).

Average Viewing Time (ATV) / Average Time Viewed. The average duration of viewing attributed to an entity, reported either per viewer (averaged across individuals who viewed) or per individual in the universe (averaged across everyone in the universe, including non-viewers). The basis must be stated on every reported figure, as the two produce materially different values. ATV is retained as the familiar market term carried over from TAMS. Note that BRC materials do not use “Time Spent Viewing (TSV)” for duration, because TSV denotes Time-Shifted Viewing. See Viewing time, Time-shifted viewing (TSV).

Back-trending. Not permitted across the 1 January 2027 change. TVM is a fresh baseline: new panel, new universe, wider scope (cTV on the big screen inside the TV number, and online on personal devices added). Trend claims that cross the launch date are not valid; trend claims within TAMS (through 31 December 2026) and within TVM (from 1 January 2027 onwards) remain valid.

Big screen (TV set). The television set in the panel household, whether receiving a traditional broadcast signal or streaming content over an internet connection. Big-screen viewing is measured by the TV Logger 2.1 people-meter and, for connected-TV usage, by the router meter, and sits inside Broadcaster Total TV where the content is broadcaster-owned or channel-matched. Devices connected to and displaying on the TV set — streaming sticks, set-top boxes, smart-TV applications and games consoles used for video streaming — are treated as big-screen viewing. A projector or monitor serving as the household’s television is treated as big-screen viewing where the meter identifies it as the measured TV set. Personal devices are not big screen, even where the content is identical. See Personal device, Connected TV (CTV) — big screen, Router measurement (router-meter measurement).

BRC-certified vendor. A software vendor certified by BRC to deliver TVM data against the mandatory rulebook. Any certified vendor can deliver TVM — no vendor lock-in. The certified-vendor list is maintained on brcsa.org.za.

Broadcast day. A continuous 24-hour period used as the reference for calculation and reporting (e.g. 02:00–01:59 SAST). Calendar-day and broadcast-day results may not be mixed in a single analysis, dataset or publication.

Broadcaster-owned content. Content, channels and platforms owned, licensed or operated by a broadcaster participating in the measurement system — including catch-up and streaming services — as identified in the official channel and platform metadata. This is the content-scope criterion for Broadcaster Total TV.

Broadcaster Total TV (reporting level). Reporting level restricted to the TV-subset of the merged panel (individuals in Homes with a TV), covering any viewing of broadcaster-owned content on any device — linear, time-shift, connected-TV apps, and broadcaster-owned online/streaming services. The direct successor to the number the market trades on today, extended for cTV on the TV set.

Broadcaster Total TV Total. The mandatory denominator for Broadcaster Total TV: all qualifying viewing to broadcaster-owned content (linear + online) within the TV-universe subset.

BVOD. Broadcaster video-on-demand — the broadcaster’s own on-demand/streaming service (e.g. SABC+, DStv Stream, eVOD). Reported at platform level at launch; broadcaster programme/episode-level digital detail arrives at v2.0 in mid-2027.

Calibration weighting (period weights). Multi-day reach uses a constant period weight per panel member, calculated as the average of the daily weights across the reporting period. Days on which a person is not part of the panel are counted with weight 0, and the difference between the average and the daily-weight sum is balanced by a calibration factor (V2.3 §Panel turnover).

Campaign. A defined set of advertising spots grouped for reporting purposes on the basis of registered campaign identifiers and metadata. Campaign reporting is based exclusively on the spots assigned to the campaign.

Campaign frequency. The average number of valid advertising contacts per reached individual, calculated only among reached individuals. Always reported together with campaign reach.

Campaign reach. The number or percentage of unique individuals exposed at least once to one or more spots in a campaign during the campaign period. Each individual is counted once, regardless of the number of spots, channels, occasions or days.

Casting. Sending video from a personal device to the TV set for playback on the big screen, using Chromecast, AirPlay or an equivalent function. Attribution follows where the video plays out, not where playback was initiated: where the content plays on the measured TV set, the viewing is captured by the TV Logger and router meter and treated as big-screen viewing, subject to the connected-TV attribution rule. It is not additionally counted as personal-device viewing. Where the personal device continues to play the video itself, the viewing remains personal-device viewing. See Big screen (TV set), Attribution (channel-level on CTV), Deduplication.

Census data (census-level data). Server-side or return-path counts of activity supplied by a broadcaster, platform or publisher — for example streaming server logs, player events or set-top-box return-path data. Census data covers all activity on the relevant service rather than a sample, but counts devices, streams, sessions or accounts rather than identified individuals, and cannot on its own produce demographic breakdowns or deduplicated individual reach. In TVM, broadcaster server-to-server (S2S) feeds are used to add content-level detail to panel-measured BVOD viewing where available: census sources are an input to the measurement, not a substitute for the panel, and census counts are not TVM currency outputs. See Panel data, Hybrid measurement, Server-to-server (S2S) integration.

Certification (software). The BRC process by which a software vendor demonstrates, to BRC’s satisfaction, a compliant implementation of the TVM Calculation and Reporting Rules. Certification is designed to ensure that official TVM calculations are applied consistently across certified software. The certification framework and readiness programme open in Q3 2026; formal certification against V2.3 and the TVM test data takes place in Q4 2026. Certification does not constitute an endorsement of a vendor’s commercial products, services, interface, support or pricing.

Channel. An individual linear television service with a defined schedule of programming and advertising, uniquely identified by a BRC-approved identifier. Channels are the primary and atomic reporting entity for linear television. Only channels in the official BRC channel registry may be reported as part of the official currency.

Channel group. A logical aggregation of two or more individual channels operated by the same broadcaster, media owner or network. A derived entity, calculated exclusively by aggregating underlying channel-level results. Does not replace channel-level reporting as the default currency.

Commercial element. Any in-scope advertising execution: traditional spot advertising, promos and auto-promotions, billboards/squeeze-backs/overlays, branded content and sponsorship, addressable/dynamic insertion, and in-content advertising (ICA). Each is uniquely identified via a BRC-approved advertising identifier.

Connected TV (CTV) — big screen. Streaming apps (SABC+, Showmax, YouTube, DStv Stream, Netflix, Disney+, etc.) accessed via an application or interface on the television set. In TVM, cTV on the big screen sits inside the Broadcaster Total TV number. Cross-device rules apply — see “Attribution (channel-level on CTV)” and “Platform-level reporting”.

Content-level reporting (launch scope). For the 1 January 2027 launch, content-level reporting — programme, break and spot detail — is limited to viewing captured on TV-set and CTV devices. Content-level detail for viewing on other online devices is not part of the initial mandatory scope; a future iteration will introduce a content-level split across TV-set, CTV and other online devices, subject to governance.

Cross-device reach. The number or percentage of unique individuals reached across two or more device types within a defined reporting period, deduplicated so that each individual is counted once — for example the combined unique audience across the TV set and personal devices. Available at Total Video level, which spans both. See Deduplication, Device and device type.

Cross-platform metric. A metric that combines television-set viewing with viewing on other devices. In TVM, cross-platform metrics are delivered as the Total Video and Broadcaster Total TV reporting levels, in scope for mandatory reporting from launch.

Cross-platform reach. The number or percentage of unique individuals reached across two or more platforms or reporting components within a defined period, deduplicated so that each individual is counted once. Calculated from the fused dataset at a single reporting level with a single universe applied. Cross-platform reach may not be assembled by summing separately published platform figures. See Deduplication, Incremental reach, Prohibition of currency/level mixing.

Currency (official). A specific combination of viewing scope (e.g. live, time-shifted), time window, attribution logic, and reporting total (denominator). Only currencies designated as official may be used for trading, benchmarking or public communication of audience measurement results.

Currency window (Day 0–7). The primary official currency for South Africa: live viewing plus all time-shifted viewing from Day 0 to Day 7 (seven days of total viewing). Default reference for programme, channel, advertising and campaign evaluation.

Day 0. The day on which a broadcast occurs. Same-day time-shifted viewing on Day 0 is treated as time-shifted (not live) and is credited to the original broadcast.

Deduplication. Counting each individual once in a reach figure, however many times, and on however many devices or platforms, they viewed. Because TVM is built on a single fused panel of identified individuals, a person who watches a programme on the TV set and the same broadcaster’s content on a phone is one reached individual, not two. Deduplication is what makes cross-platform and cross-device reach meaningful, and is the reason reach figures for separate components cannot simply be added together. See Cross-platform reach, Cross-device reach, Duplication (audience duplication), Fusion (merged Total Video panel).

Demographic (target-group descriptor). A characteristic attached to an individual panel member and used to define or describe target groups. Includes individual characteristics (age, gender) and household-derived characteristics (household size, presence of children, LSM/SEM, province, dwelling type). Under V2.3, household characteristics are carried as individual-level descriptors on every panel member: they define target groups but do not produce household-level ratings or household-level reach. See Household-level ratings (HH TVR, HH Reach), Units of analysis, Target group.

Device and device type. Device refers to the individual piece of equipment on which viewing occurs. Device type refers to the reporting classification applied to it: TV set (broadcast), TV set (connected/CTV), smartphone, tablet, and laptop or PC. Device type governs how viewing is captured, which reporting level it contributes to, and what level of content detail is available. At launch, programme, break and spot-level detail is available for viewing captured on TV-set and CTV devices; viewing on other online devices is reported at platform level. A content-level split across TV-set, CTV and other online devices is a future iteration, subject to governance. See Content-level reporting (launch scope), Cross-device reach.

Domestic worker (household classification). Domestic workers who are part of the household (with a normal household and person number) carry a flag identifying them, and are excluded from household-characteristic demographics (e.g. household income). Domestic workers present but not part of the household are treated as guest viewers.

Duplication (audience duplication). The unique individuals reached by two or more components of a schedule, platform set or channel set — the shared audience. Duplication plus exclusive reach across all components equals total deduplicated reach. Used to understand overlap between channel or platform combinations. See Deduplication, Exclusive reach, Incremental reach.

Effective reach / Reach n+. The number or percentage of individuals reached at a defined minimum number of exposures within a period — 1+, 2+, 3+ and so on. Reach 1+ is total reach. Reach n+ is derived from the frequency distribution of valid advertising contacts and, like all reach measures, counts each individual once at the stated threshold. Reported against a stated currency, reporting level, universe and campaign or schedule definition, and always alongside the campaign reach and frequency figures from which it derives. See Campaign reach, Campaign frequency, Reach.

Establishment Survey (ES). The continuous BRC survey that defines the reference universe. Refreshed continuously so the panel and universe track the market as it changes rather than a one-off annual re-weight. The ES 2026 findings (larger, faster online shift than the phased plan assumed) are the basis for consolidating linear + online into one launch on 1 January 2027.

Exclusive reach. The unique individuals reached by one component of a defined set and by no other component in that set. Exclusive reach is always relative to the set within which it is measured: a platform’s exclusive reach changes if a further platform is added to or removed from the comparison, so the set must be stated on the output. See Duplication (audience duplication), Incremental reach.

Extended window (Day 0–27). Live viewing plus time-shifted viewing from Day 0 to Day 27 (28 days total). Non-currency: may be calculated and reported, but must be explicitly labelled as non-currency and may not be used for trading or benchmark comparisons unless explicitly approved.

Fusion (merged Total Video panel). The daily process by which the TV panel and the online panel are combined into a single merged panel representing the full Total Video universe. Fusion matches respondents on demographic and behavioural characteristics defined in V2.3 (age, gender, LSM/SEM, province, viewing intensity, platform familiarity and other variables). Broadcaster Total TV and Total Video are two reporting cuts of one fused dataset — not two competing numbers.

GRPs (Gross Rating Points). The sum of ratings across all spots or exposures in a campaign or schedule. Standard derived metric; calculated per V2.3 and always reported with the applicable currency, total and reporting level.

Guest viewing. Viewing by individuals present in a panel household but not registered members of the household roster. Included in the official currency and treated consistently across channels, programmes, advertising, and live/time-shifted windows. Guest viewing is technically attached to a registered panel member (via a guest flag) and projected using that panel member’s demographics and weights; guests are not stored as separate individuals for weighting.

Household universe. All private South African households meeting the TV-universe eligibility criteria, used as the frame from which the TV panel is drawn. Household characteristics are retained as individual-level target-group descriptors on every panel member; household-level ratings and household-level reach are not produced under V2.3 (see Household-level ratings).

Household-level ratings (HH TVR, HH Reach). Discontinued in the merged Total Video panel setup. Under Calculation and Reporting Rules V2.3 (14 August 2026), household weights are not maintained after digital fusion, aligning South Africa with comparable fused TV + digital services (e.g. Germany, Switzerland). Household characteristics remain available as individual-level target-group descriptors (e.g. household size, presence of children, LSM); they do not produce household-level ratings or reach outputs. Any household-level number carried across from TAMS is not a TVM currency output.

Hybrid measurement. A measurement design in which panel data and census-level data are combined, using the panel to provide identified individuals, demographics and deduplicated reach, and census sources to add scale, granularity or content-level detail. TVM incorporates hybrid elements at launch through broadcaster server-to-server integrations that add content detail to panel-measured BVOD viewing. Broader hybrid approaches, including return path data, are under review for future development and are not part of the launch currency. See Panel data, Census data (census-level data), Server-to-server (S2S) integration.

Incremental reach. The additional unique individuals delivered by adding a further platform, device or schedule component to a defined base, calculated as the deduplicated combined reach minus the reach of the base alone. Incremental reach answers what a component adds that the base did not already deliver, and is therefore always stated together with the base against which it is measured. Must be calculated from the fused dataset at a single reporting level, not derived from separately published figures. See Deduplication, Exclusive reach, Duplication (audience duplication).

Individual viewing. Viewing attributed to identified persons. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the official BRC currencies are based on individual viewing (individuals 4+ in TV households for Broadcaster Total TV; individuals 15+ for anything drawing on the online panel or the merged Total Video panel). See Sample versus universe and Universe Estimate (UE) / Population Estimate for how individual viewing is projected.

In-tab / daily in-tab. A panel household or panel member providing valid, usable data on a given day, and therefore contributing to that day’s results. Homes that are installed but do not return valid data on a given day are not in-tab for that day. The TVM TV panel operates to a minimum net daily in-tab of 3,500 households against an installed panel of approximately 4,200. Daily in-tab is a core quality indicator reported against BRC KPI targets. Panel turnover and daily in-tab variation do not invalidate multi-day reach: period weights and a calibration factor keep target-group potentials stable. See Panel turnover, Calibration weighting (period weights), Panel home / reporting home.

Mandatory disclosure. Every externally reported result must state: (a) the viewing currency used (e.g. Overnight, Day 0–7), (b) the reporting total applied (Total Video Total or Broadcaster Total TV Total), (c) the reporting level (Total Video or Broadcaster Total TV), and (d) whether results are official currency or non-currency. Failure to disclose renders the reporting non-compliant.

Mandatory versus non-mandatory outputs. Mandatory outputs form part of the official currency and may be used for external reporting and commercial purposes. Non-mandatory (analytical) outputs may be produced for internal use; software vendors may expose all calculations, but liability for compliant external reporting rests with broadcasters and agencies, provided currency vs non-currency is clearly labelled.

Measured audience. Audience captured and projected through the TVM measurement system. The absence of a measured audience for a platform, programme or target group does not necessarily indicate that no viewing occurred; it may reflect sample incidence, measurement scope, reporting thresholds, or platform and content identification capabilities. A zero or very small measured audience is a statement about what the measurement system captured and reported, not evidence that no real-world viewing took place. The distinction matters particularly for smaller channels, niche target groups, low-incidence platforms, and content reported only at platform level. See Sample versus universe, Reporting threshold, Non-matched viewing.

Metadata (channel and content). All content and advertising entities used in calculation and reporting are based on harmonised, verified metadata provided through BRC-approved registration, verification and harmonisation services. Only registered, verified and harmonised entities may be included in official reporting.

Methodology (BRC TVM Methodology v2.0 Final). The plain-English guide to the panel, the fusion, the universe and the outputs. Companion to the rulebook; describes how measurement is executed, whereas the rulebook defines how results are calculated and reported.

Minute-level attribution (start-minute rule). Where results are reported at minute level, an event is attributed to the clock minute in which the event starts. Events are not split across minutes. Applies to programmes (minute-level programme timebanding), advertising breaks and advertising spots. Example: a 30-second spot starting at 20:25:40 is attributed to the 20:25 minute.

Non-matched viewing. Big-screen viewing that is confirmed and timed but cannot be matched to a specific registered channel. It is retained and clustered as non-matched viewing rather than discarded, so no viewing time is lost. In connected-TV homes, viewing that cannot be channel-matched is still captured at platform level via the router meter. See Audio matching (content matching), Router measurement (router-meter measurement).

Online panel. A panel of approximately 2,000 individuals whose online video viewing on personal devices is metered directly. Recruited to reflect the ES universe of online-active individuals on age, gender, LSM, province and platform behaviour.

Online universe. Individuals whose measured viewing is captured through the online panel, including viewing outside TV households. Combined with the TV universe to form the Total Video universe.

OTT/SVOD. Over-the-top / subscription video-on-demand services (Netflix, Showmax, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, etc.). Reported at platform level at launch.

Overnight currency. Live viewing plus all viewing that occurs on the same day as the broadcast (Day 0). Early performance indicator; official currency when explicitly labelled as such.

Panel data. Viewing data collected from a recruited, representative sample of identified individuals whose demographics are known and whose viewing is measured passively, then projected to the universe using individual weights derived from the Establishment Survey. Panel data supports deduplicated, individual-level, cross-platform reach and frequency because the same people are observed across devices and platforms. TVM currency outputs are panel-based. See Sample versus universe, Census data (census-level data), Weights (daily and period).

Panel home / reporting home. A household installed with TVM measurement equipment and forming part of the TV panel. Three states are distinguished: installed homes (equipment fitted), active homes (equipment operational), and in-tab homes (returning valid, usable data on a given day and therefore contributing to that day’s results). Published results are based on in-tab homes. See In-tab / daily in-tab, Panel turnover.

Panel member / panellist. An individual registered on the TVM TV panel or online panel whose viewing is measured, and who carries individual weights and target-group descriptors. On the TV panel, panel members announce their presence via the remote-control announcement system. On the online panel no announcement is required: personal devices are treated as personal, so the registered panellist is assumed to be the viewer of any video session on their own device, and sessions flagged as used by somebody else are excluded from the data. Individuals present in a panel household but not on the household roster are guest viewers, not panel members. See Guest viewing, Single Source panellist.

Panel turnover. Ongoing changes in panel membership due to recruitment, attrition or replacement. Panel turnover is expected and does not invalidate multi-day reach calculations; period weights and a calibration factor keep target-group potentials stable across the reporting period.

Passive measurement. Measurement that records viewing as it happens, through metering technology, without asking the viewer to recall, log or declare what they watched. TVM is a passive measurement system: the TV Logger 2.1 captures audio fingerprints and viewing duration automatically, the router meter observes connected-TV platform usage automatically, and the online panel measurement app detects video sessions on personal devices automatically. The only active step required of panel members is the remote-control announcement of who is present in the room on the TV panel; personal devices require no announcement. Passive measurement is distinct from claimed, recalled or survey-declared viewing, which is not a basis for any TVM currency output. See People-meter, Router measurement (router-meter measurement), Online panel.

People-meter. The individual-level TV panel meter that records who is viewing what on the TV set. Deployed in the ~4,200-home TV panel.

Personal device. A device used individually rather than communally for video viewing: smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop PC. Viewing on personal devices is measured through the online panel measurement app and reported at platform level at launch. It sits inside the Total Video reporting level and is not included in Broadcaster Total TV, which covers viewing on the TV set. The distinction is device-based, not content-based — broadcaster content watched on a phone is personal-device viewing. See Big screen (TV set), Platform-level reporting (launch scope for online on personal devices), Station versus Publisher.

Platform (streaming service). A branded video service accessed via an application or interface — on a TV set (CTV) or on a personal device. Platforms are individual reporting entities at platform level (e.g. SABC+ total, Netflix total, YouTube total, TikTok total).

Platform audience. The audience for a branded video service as a whole — for example SABC+ total, Netflix total, YouTube total. A platform audience represents measured viewing of that service across the applicable universe and time window, aggregated across all content on the service. It does not represent viewing of any specific programme, episode, break or spot, and it is not a content-level measure. For a broadcaster-owned platform, the platform total comprises usage on devices other than TV-set/CTV where channel-level recognition is not available, plus usage on TV-set/CTV devices recognised as that platform but not matched to a specific channel; usage matched to a specific channel is reported against that channel and is not double-counted in the platform total. Platform audiences and channel or programme audiences are different reporting entities and may not be added together. See Platform-level reporting (launch scope for online on personal devices), Attribution (channel-level on CTV), Prohibition of currency/level mixing.

Platform reach. The number or percentage of unique individuals who viewed a platform at least once within a defined reporting period, each counted once regardless of how much or how often they viewed. Reported against a stated reporting level and universe. Platform reach is deduplicated within the platform; platform reach figures for different platforms may not be added together to produce a combined figure. Combined reach across platforms must be calculated as deduplicated cross-platform reach from the fused dataset. See Reach, Deduplication, Cross-platform reach.

Platform-level reporting (launch scope for online on personal devices). Online video on personal devices is reported at service/platform level at launch — total daily audience for a service across the reporting universe and time window. Programme and episode-level reporting on digital arrives at v2.0 in mid-2027 on the same panel and universe. Linear, time-shift and cTV-on-the-big-screen are at programme/episode level from day one.

Population (universe) — see also TV universe, Total Video universe. The reference population against which a metric is projected. Universe definition determines the denominator and is stated on every published figure.

Programme. A discrete editorial content item with a defined start and end time, identified via a unique programme identifier. May form part of a hierarchical structure (series → season → episode). Attribution is based on verified transmission logs reconciled with centrally registered metadata.

Programme exposure threshold (minimum viewing). Unless otherwise specified by the BRC, an individual is counted as exposed to a programme when they have viewed at least 60 consecutive seconds of that programme, whether live or time-shifted within the currency window.

Programmes crossing broadcast-day boundaries. A programme that starts on one broadcast day and ends on the next is treated as one programme entity tied to the broadcast day on which it starts. Two-record technical implementations are permitted, provided the segments are linked (common identifier and “spans-day-boundary” flag); official results must be based on the combined, viewing-time-weighted segments.

Prohibition of currency/level mixing. Results calculated using different currencies or totals may not be combined, compared or aggregated within a single analysis unless explicitly approved and clearly labelled. Reports may be built against exactly one reporting level’s universe at a time, enforced at report configuration.

Rating (TVR). The average percentage of individuals within the defined universe who are viewing the entity. Calculation: for each second in the reporting period, count individuals viewing; project to the universe using individual weights; average the projected audience over the duration of the reporting period. Ratings are based on average audience, not cumulative viewing.

Reach. The number or percentage of unique individuals exposed to an entity at least once within a defined reporting period. Cumulative measure — each individual is counted once regardless of the number or duration of viewing occasions.

Repeats. Where a programme is broadcast more than once, each transmission is a separate programme broadcast. Aggregation across broadcasts is only allowed where explicitly defined and labelled (e.g. “total of all broadcasts”).

Reporting level. TVM delivers official outputs at two levels: Broadcaster Total TV and Total Video, both derived from the single merged Total Video panel. Each level differs by universe and, where applicable, by content scope; the mandatory calculation rules apply identically at both levels.

Reporting threshold. A minimum level below which a result is not reported, or is reported with a reliability caveat, because too few panel members underpin it. Thresholds protect against publishing figures carrying more sampling error than analytical value. A result suppressed or flagged by a threshold should be read as insufficiently measured, not as zero viewing. See Measured audience, Sample versus universe.

Reporting total (denominator). The defined total against which a currency is reported. Broadcaster Total TV Total (all qualifying viewing to broadcaster-owned content in the TV-universe subset) and Total Video Total (all qualifying viewing across the Total Video universe). Always disclosed.

Router measurement (router-meter measurement). Measurement of connected-TV viewing on the big screen using a meter installed between the household Wi-Fi router and the internet connection. It observes the internet traffic flowing to and from the TV screen and identifies which streaming platform is in use and for how long — for example DStv Stream, Netflix or YouTube — including usage via smart-TV applications, streaming sticks and other connected devices. At launch it identifies the platform and the duration, not the specific programme being watched; programme-level detail on connected TV is added at the v2.0 upgrade in mid-2027 through direct broadcaster data integrations, without changing the universe or the currency. Router meters are deployed in approximately 25–30% of TV-panel households — specifically those with broadband and at least one TV set connected to it — guided by Establishment Survey data on broadband penetration and internet-connected TV ownership, and reviewed annually. Router-measured big-screen usage is credited to the Station and included in Broadcaster Total TV. See Connected TV (CTV) — big screen, Router meter, Station versus Publisher.

Router meter. Household-level router-based meter, deployed in ~25–30% of TV panel homes, used to capture connected-TV viewing on the big screen and support cTV attribution. See Router measurement (router-meter measurement) for what the meter observes and its role in identifying connected-TV consumption.

Rulebook (Calculation and Reporting Rules V2.3). The single, authoritative set of mandatory calculation and reporting rules for South Africa’s official audience measurement currencies. Version V2.3 (14 August 2026) is in market for launch. V2.4 will step at the mid-2027 v2.0 upgrade.

Sample versus universe. The panel is the sample; the universe is the population it represents. Approximately 4,200 TV-panel homes and approximately 2,000 online panellists are projected, via individual weights derived from the Establishment Survey, to represent the full reference population. All published TVM figures are therefore projected estimates carrying sampling variability, not censuses of actual viewing. Smaller target groups, niche channels and low-incidence platforms rest on fewer panel members and are correspondingly less precise. See Measured audience, Universe Estimate (UE) / Population Estimate, Weights (daily and period).

SAST (South African Standard Time). The clock used for all viewing, broadcasts, programme and advertising events. Time-stamping and content attribution are based exclusively on SAST, irrespective of the geographic origin of content, broadcaster, platform or distributor.

Server-to-server (S2S) integration. A direct data feed from a broadcaster’s streaming platform supplying programme and advertising metadata for content served to viewers. Where available, S2S metadata is combined with panel-measured platform-level viewing to report content-level BVOD detail. Where S2S is not yet available, BVOD on personal devices is reported at platform level only at launch. Expanding S2S coverage is the principal mechanism by which the v2.0 upgrade adds broadcaster programme and episode-level digital detail in mid-2027. See Census data (census-level data), v2.0 (mid-2027 upgrade).

Share. The proportion of total viewing (within the defined denominator) attributable to a specific entity over the reporting period. Under V2.3, Share is produced only at Broadcaster Total TV level, using Broadcaster Total TV Total as the denominator. Share is not produced at Total Video level, because the Total Video Total is not stable across additions or removals of streaming platforms — adding or removing a platform would mechanically shift every entity’s share without any change in observed viewing. A constrained-universe Share (e.g. share of viewing on the TV-set device only, or share within a specifically defined subset of platforms) may be produced for analysis, provided the constraint is explicitly labelled on the output. Constrained shares may not be labelled or presented as “Total Video Share.” For the avoidance of doubt: Share is an official metric at Broadcaster Total TV level only, and is not produced at Total Video level.

Short programmes. Reported using the same logic as other programmes: measured over their actual transmission duration and included in ranking/reporting where relevant.

Single Source panellist. A panel member who is on both the TV panel and the online panel, and whose combined big-screen and personal-device viewing is therefore directly observed. Single Source panellists act as donors in the daily fusion step, supplying the observed behaviour used to impute personal-device viewing for TV-only panel homes. The target is approximately 50% overlap between the online panel and TV-panel households. See Fusion (merged Total Video panel), Panel member / panellist.

Social video (certified). In scope where the platform is on the BRC certified-platform list (e.g. YouTube, TikTok). Reported at platform level at launch. Programme/episode-level social reporting is not part of v2.0; BRC and the Technical Committee will review after v2.0 lands. Advertising reach on social is out of scope for TVM.

Spot minute rule (mandatory). A spot’s audience/rating is based on the minute in which the spot begins (start-minute attribution). Spots are not split across minutes for official reporting. A panellist is counted as a viewer of the spot when their accumulated viewing of the start-minute is at least half of that minute, in whole seconds rounded up.

Spot reach exposure rule. A person is considered exposed to a spot for reach calculations when their accumulated viewing of the broadcast spot-minute (live plus time-shifted within the applicable currency window) is at least half of the minute the spot started in, in whole seconds and rounded up.

Station versus Publisher. The crediting rule that separates the two reporting levels. Big-screen usage measured by the people-meter and the router meter is credited to the Station and included in Broadcaster Total TV. Second-screen usage on personal devices, measured by the online panel, is credited to the Publisher and included in Total Video only, not in Broadcaster Total TV. See Big screen (TV set), Personal device, Router measurement (router-meter measurement).

TAMS (legacy). The TV-only industry currency operated by BRC through 31 December 2026. Discontinued at TVM launch on 1 January 2027; no back-trending is valid across the change.

Target group. A defined subset of the universe used as the basis for reporting, selected on demographic or behavioural characteristics — for example individuals 25–49, women 15+, or individuals in SEM 7–10 households. Every target group has its own universe estimate, and all percentage metrics for that group are calculated against it. Target groups may combine individual characteristics and household-derived descriptors, but always resolve to individuals. Multi-day reporting applies constant period weights and a calibration factor so that target-group potentials remain stable across the reporting period. See Demographic (target-group descriptor), Universe Estimate (UE) / Population Estimate, Calibration weighting (period weights).

Technical Committee. The BRC-designated committee responsible for methodological stewardship: proposing changes and clarifications to the rules, assessing methodological impact, and ensuring consistent implementation across all authorised software tools and reporting environments.

Test data (industry preparation window). TVM test data released ahead of the official currency launch. Internal BRC and broadcaster testing runs from mid-October 2026, so that broadcasters can scrutinise the data before any wider release. From end-October 2026, a full month of October 2026 data onwards is released to certified software vendors and to the market, continuing through December 2026. Purpose: familiarise the industry with TVM, prepare Q1 2027 planning processes, load the dataset into planning and trading systems, retrain teams and update templates against real data rather than against a specification. Test data is not official currency data and may not be used for trading, benchmarking or public communication of audience results. TVM becomes the official industry currency on 1 January 2027.

Time Spent Viewing. Not used in BRC TVM materials. TSV always denotes Time-Shifted Viewing. For a duration metric, see Viewing time and Average Viewing Time (ATV) / Average Time Viewed. For viewing occurring after the original broadcast, see Time-shifted viewing (TSV).

Time-shifted viewing (TSV). Viewing of television content that occurs after the original broadcast. Defined relative to the day of broadcast (Day 0): includes qualifying viewing on Day 0 after live transmission and Day 1 to Day 7. Always attributed to the original broadcast. TSV in BRC materials always denotes Time-Shifted Viewing. Duration metrics are referred to as Viewing time or Average Viewing Time (ATV), never as “Time Spent Viewing (TSV)”. See Average Viewing Time (ATV) / Average Time Viewed.

Time-shift weights (Day 0 rule). Time-shifted seconds are always projected using the weights of the day of broadcast (Day 0), not the weights of the day on which the viewing occurs. Where a panellist has valid TSV for a broadcast but was not part of the panel or universe on Day 0, that viewing is retained in the database but cannot be included in broadcast-centric currency results (no valid Day-0 weight); it may only be used in viewer-centric analytical outputs.

Total Video (reporting level). The reporting level covering the full Total Video universe (every individual in the merged panel) and the full content scope captured by the panel — all video content viewed on any measured platform or device, irrespective of ownership.

Total Video Total. The mandatory denominator for Total Video: all qualifying viewing captured across the Total Video universe, combining television-set viewing and online/streaming viewing measured through the merged panel.

Total Video universe. The reference population for Total Video: the union of the TV universe and the Online universe — all individuals aged 15+ residing in private South African households, who either live in a TV-universe household, form part of the Online universe, or both.

TV panel. A nationally representative panel of approximately 4,200 households equipped with television measurement technology (people-meters), capturing viewing on television sets at individual level. Router meters are deployed in ~25–30% of homes to capture connected-TV viewing on the big screen. Primary basis for the Broadcaster Total TV Total.

TV-subset (merged Total Video panel). Individuals in the merged Total Video panel who meet the TV-universe definition. Selection is performed by filtering on a mandatory TV_Home indicator in the single merged dataset; a separately delivered TV-only file may not be used for Broadcaster Total TV reporting.

TV universe. All individuals aged 4+ residing in private South African households, living in a household with (a) at least one working television set connected to a signal (antenna, DTT, dish or broadband) and (b) permanent electricity supply, either via mains or a permanent off-grid solution. Reference population for Broadcaster Total TV.

TVM (Total Video Measurement). The service — panels, meters, ES, fusion, mandatory rulebook and certified software — that publishes South Africa’s official video measurement currencies (Broadcaster Total TV and Total Video) from 1 January 2027.

Units of analysis. The individual is the primary and only unit for TVM currency outputs — viewing is attributed to identified persons, and the two reporting levels (Broadcaster Total TV and Total Video) are individual-based. Household is retained as a source of target-group descriptors (household size, children in home, LSM, etc.) applied to individuals, not as a reporting unit. Under V2.3, household-level ratings and household-level reach are not produced in the merged Total Video panel.

Universe Estimate (UE) / Population Estimate. The projected number of individuals represented by a defined universe or target group, derived from the Establishment Survey and refreshed continuously. The universe estimate is the denominator for all percentage metrics: a Rating or a Reach percentage is the projected audience divided by the applicable universe estimate. Because Broadcaster Total TV and Total Video apply different universes, the same absolute audience will produce different percentages at each reporting level. The universe estimate for the reported target group must be disclosed alongside published results. See Population (universe) — see also TV universe, Total Video universe; Sample versus universe; Target group.

Viewer-centric outputs. Analytical outputs in which viewing is aggregated based on the day of viewing rather than the day of broadcast. Not part of the official currency unless explicitly approved. May become currency once the BRC decides to add a second reporting frame (“time of viewing”).

Viewing session. A continuous period of measured viewing by an individual, recorded with a start time, an end time and any pauses in between, to the second. On the big screen, sessions are captured by the TV Logger 2.1 people-meter and, for connected TV, by the router meter. On personal devices, the online panel measurement app records a session when a video app or website is in the foreground with an active video player. Sessions are the raw input to currency metrics; they are not themselves a currency output, and currency metrics are calculated from second-level viewing rather than from session counts. Exposure to a reportable entity is governed by the applicable threshold rules — see Programme exposure threshold (minimum viewing), Spot minute rule (mandatory).

Viewing time. The duration of viewing attributed to an entity. May be reported as total viewing time, average viewing time per viewer, or average viewing time per individual in the universe. Basis must be stated on every reported figure. See Average Viewing Time (ATV) / Average Time Viewed for the familiar market term and the per-viewer versus per-individual distinction.

v2.0 (mid-2027 upgrade). The mid-2027 upgrade to TVM. Adds broadcaster programme and episode-level detail on digital, on the same fused panel and the same universe. An upgrade to what is published, not a new currency and not a re-baselining. Rulebook steps from V2.3 to V2.4.

Sources and alignment

Definitions in this Glossary are drawn verbatim from the Calculation and Reporting Rules where a rulebook definition exists; from the BRC TVM Methodology for panel, fusion and universe description; and from the Public Q&A and Executive Summary for the plain-English framing of the launch scope. Where these documents differ from this Glossary, the rulebook prevails.

BRC TVM Glossary

WHAT IS DELIVERED ON 1 JANUARY 2027

HOW TO READ THIS GLOSSARY

Sources and alignment

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