What launches on 1 January 2027, and what to do about it
TVM TEST DATA AVAILABLE FROM END-OCTOBER 2026
The industry will have access to TVM test data from end-October 2026 to prepare systems, planning processes and teams ahead of the official currency launch on 1 January 2027.
On 1 January 2027, South Africa moves to a new industry currency for video audiences: Total Video Measurement (TVM). TVM measures linear TV, time-shifted viewing, connected TV on the big screen, and online video on personal devices — reported daily from a single fused panel, with defined universes for each reporting level. It replaces the TAMS TV-only currency in one move, with no back-trending.
| One measurement service, two reporting levels | Platform-level at launch | Fresh, fused panel |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcaster Total TV: linear TV + cTV on the TV set, credited to the channel. Total Video: adds platform-level online video on personal devices. Both are derived from the same fused dataset and published together daily. | Online video on personal devices reported at platform level (SABC+, Showmax, YouTube, TikTok, …). Broadcaster programme/episode detail on digital is added in the v2.0 upgrade in mid-2027 — same panel, same defined universes, no currency change. | 4,200 TV panel households (people-meter + router meter in ~25–30% of homes for cTV) fused daily with a 2,000-person Online panel. Weighted against a continuously updated Establishment Survey. |
How it is different from today
- One currency across TV and measured online video, not TV-only. Both Broadcaster Total TV
and Total Video are available in the same daily dataset. - Streaming and online video are included from day one — BVOD apps (SABC+, DStv Stream,
etc.), OTT/SVOD (Netflix, Showmax, Disney+) and social video (YouTube, TikTok) at platform
level. - A fresh baseline — TVM is not a rebase of TAMS. Trend claims against historic TAMS numbers
are not valid across the change. - An open software market — any BRC-certified vendor can deliver TVM data. Calculations
follow one mandatory rulebook.
Prepare for TVM — test data available end-October 2026
- From end-October 2026, BRC and GfK will release TVM test data to participating software
vendors and the market. This provides the industry with a preparation window to familiarise
itself with TVM, prepare Q1 2027 planning processes, test systems, retrain teams and update
templates. TVM becomes the official industry currency on 1 January 2027. - Confirm your software vendor now. Any BRC-certified vendor can deliver TVM. Ask your
current supplier for their TVM upgrade date and their handling of the test data window. - Update your outputs. Trading templates, campaign post-analysis, reach curves and slide
libraries need to state the reporting level (Broadcaster Total TV or Total Video), the total,
and the demographic base on every figure. - Nominate a TVM lead in your organisation to receive BRC updates, coordinate training, and
interface with BRC on classifications (broadcasters: station and content; platforms: service
identifiers).
What BRC is — and what it is not
| BRC delivers | BRC does not deliver |
|---|---|
| The research and the data. The panel, the meters, the fusion, the daily currency, the mandatory calculation and reporting rules, the certification of software. | AdIntel (advertising monitoring and spend), commercial go-to-market services for the new data assets or buy-side/sell-side trading tools. These services are provided competitively by the market. TVM is vendor-neutral: any BRC-certified software vendor can deliver the currency. |
Key dates
| END-OCTOBER 2026 | Q4 2026 | 1 JANUARY 2027 | MID-2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| TVM test data available | Vendor certification and industry training | TVM becomes the official currency; TAMS ends | Broadcaster programme/episode-level digital detail added |
Where to read more
