Life, un-TAM-ed!

Love it or hate it, the industry certainly can't do without it, we thought. Or, can it? afaqs! explores the lives of the industry's decision makers without their weekly dose of data.

Ever wondered what the classic saas-bahu soaps would be like if all was sweet and light between the arch rivals, the mom-in-law and the daughter-in-law? Insipid and low on ratings, we'd say. TAM's survival story has been similar to the soaps it has rated highly through the years. For long, the television audience measurement firm has been bashed by the industry. And yet, the very players who found fault with it could not ignore it.

As destiny would have it, both its worst critics and its staunch supporters were forced into a situation where they had to live without its findings for more than 10 weeks. No data to measure, cite and criticise; so, how was life without TAM?

Vidyadhar Kale, general manager, Maxus

Working with TAM data is like studying in school. It gives a strict and continuously monitored environment. The annual plans are like big board exams. While preparing for the annual plans, there was a breather this year as the smaller 'tutorials' like competitive and post-buys were not required to be done, since the data wasn't available. So, it was a blessing in disguise.

It would be fun if there were summer and winter vacations for the release of TAM data, especially before the 'board exams'.

On a serious note, though, the absence of data made it clear that it is just a decision making tool for effective and efficient delivery of communication. Not much has stopped due to its unavailability as activities have gone on-air, sponsorship deals have been closed, new programmes have been launched and life has moved on!

Avinash Kaul, chief executive officer, ET Now, Times Now and Zoom

The absence of data gave us an extra day to analyse and assess the product, given that the Wednesday madness (of fresh weekly data analysis) was absent.

We have realised that temperatures across the office have cooled down, without the warming effect of hot data. We've started looking at businesses more holistically, with additional time to focus on areas that were probably not getting their due attention.

Amol M, business head, Allied Media

TAM is like the sun and we, the media planners and buyers, are like plants. Just as the Sun controls a major part of the day (and some nights, too), the media planner's dawn breaks with TAM data analysis, reports, and pre-evaluations; followed by course correction, and the calm evening sun brings hope that the 'plan post evaluations' should be on track.

Without data, we start drooping, like plants without sunshine. A week's absence of data would resemble a slightly cloudy day, and signal 'full client support'; a bit more cloudy (read two weeks' absence of data) indicate 'part client support', while densely clouded weather (read longer periods) signal plans based on what the client watches. Finally, when there is a downpour (read complete absence of data), the plans are based on what the client's wife watches.

To put it simply, life without the release of TAM was like Jal bin Machhli (fish without water).

Ashish Sehgal, chief sales officer, Zee Network

TAM data is like a roadmap amidst the dense forest of the media business. The numbers remind us that the audience is continuously deciding on the content that is being served.

Life without TAM, for the last two months, has been like exploring the media jungle without a roadmap. While we know that our viewers are out there, they remain hidden by the foliage.

As media-sales professionals, this break provided us the opportunity to re-skill competencies and evolve a qualitative and strategic sales approach. It helped us to venture into newer territories.

Life without the data was a period of exploration, evolution and excitement.

Neeraj Vyas, executive vice-president and business head, SET Max and Mix

My life without TAM data was a glorious one, especially from Tuesday evenings to Wednesday mornings. Wednesday mornings have been without the ulcers and Tuesdays nights were as peaceful as never before. I have had the best sleeps in these nine weeks.

It came as a surprise, a happier surprise that almost all the channels had consistently sold out their inventory, even during the Diwali season. It reminded the industry, yet again, that the data is just a trend indicator and not the seller.

For the advertisers and agencies, however, it was more of a negotiation tool, and not the breathing tool it is made out to be!

Praveen Tripathi, chief executive, Magic9 Media and Consumer Knowledge

Given the industry's dependence on TAM data, it seemed like a game of Flash (Teen Patti). With the absence of data, I think the blind game of Flash turned into a better game.

The absence of data definitely came as a huge relief, albeit temporary, especially for the minions down the line. For the mid- and junior-level number crunchers at media agencies, there was much more time left since they didn't have to work on more and more Excel sheets. They had time left for their spouses and girlfriends, to watch movies, and to appreciate and analyse the television programmes, the figures of which they work on.

The only ones who would be hyper about the absence of data are the clients and, to some extent, the upper level management of media agencies. For that matter, I feel that the media agencies would be secretly happy about it, too, since the absence of fresh data in October-November gave them a break from fresh negotiations with clients.