閱聽眾測量5.0

回顧歷史上的閱聽眾測量方法，至少有四個關鍵發展階段，而我們現在進入的第五個階段，是不一樣的。
但也不是完全不同。在第五個時代，我們可以預期許多技術和方法都已經到位：任何裝置都能相容的調查方式、被動的資料蒐集、多元資料源與傳統調查資料的整合等。而高品質的測量方式及其專業人員將持續扮演重要角色。
可能需要改變的是各行業者對於改變及共同努力的態度。對變革的恐懼在實施新方法的過程中一直是一大障礙，而這樣的障礙也往往由於測量更多平台的成本增加，以及更快更頻繁地報告產出而加劇。儘管數位技術已經打亂了各種商業模式，也帶來了選擇的困難，我們還是得接受這樣的改變。
Looking back into history, we can say that there have been at least four key phases of development in audience measurement methods and that the one we are entering now – the Fifth Age – is different.
But not completely different. Many of the techniques and methods we can expect to feature in this Fifth Age are already in place: device-agnostic surveys, passive data collection, the integration of multiple data sources with traditional survey data etc. And there continues to be a role for high quality methods and skilled human practitioners in the process.
What may need to change is the attitude of the various industry players to change and to working together. Fear of change has been a great barrier to progress in implementing new methods – often exacerbated by the rising cost of measuring more platforms and reporting faster and more frequently. But digital technology has disrupted every business model and must be embraced, even though it offers difficult choices for many.