The MRUC held an emergency meeting to discuss the IRS 2013 study following media commentary on its quality. The Council asserts that the study was conducted to high methodological standards using new technology. However, it recognizes that with the RSCI now governing the study, the MRUC alone cannot determine the way forward for addressing issues. The Council looks forward to presenting all aspects of the study to the RSCI on February 19th to help stakeholders evaluate the robustness and integrity of the study.

1. PRESS RELEASE BY MRUC ON 4TH FEB 2014
•
IRS 2013 was released on January 28, 2014.
•
In the week since then, there has been considerable comment and discussion in the media
about the quality of the study. Yesterday, the Indian Newspaper Society sought a meeting
with the MRUC to discuss the situation and the way forward. Following on from this
meeting, the MRUC Chairman convened an emergency meeting of the Board of Governors
to crystallise the Council’s point of view. This meeting held earlier today has taken the
following decisions:
•
The Council asserts that the design, methodology and in-field execution of the study was
benchmarked to and conducted at the very highest standards. The massive integration of
technology, from DS-CAPI, through automated collation and tabulation, to a brand new UI
(user interface) with a comprehensive suite of on-board analytics played a crucial role in
this exercise. The Council intended to deliver a study that could legitimately carry the ‘Gold
Standard’ appellation. It is satisfied that the study has moved many steps forward in that
direction.

2. •
The Council is conscious that it is now only one of the two constituents of the Readership
Studies Council of India. With the RSCI now being in charge of governance of the study, the
MRUC is no longer at liberty to make a unilateral determination of the way forward,
particularly in a situation as contentious as it appears today.
•
The Council looks forward keenly to the RSCI meeting called by the RSCI Chairman on
February 19, 2014. All aspects of the study will be placed before the RSCI for helping the
broader community of stakeholders convince themselves about the study’s robustness and
integrity.
•
A brief presentation is appended. This will elucidate many of the aspects referred above.

3. THE JOURNEY
Nielsen is
awarded
conduct
of the IRS
Q1’13
Fieldwork
commenced
in Jul ‘13
Q2’13
Execution
of Pilot
Q3’13
Fieldwork
wrapped
up in Dec
‘13
Q4’13
Regular
Quarterly
cycle is
resumed
Q1’14
Data
Processing

4. IT’S NEW AND BETTER
IRS 2013
100% DS-CAPI !
More India in the new IRS
Dual-Screen CAPI Interviews for all interviews
The IRS now includes the North-East, Daman & Diu,
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Significantly reduces non-sampling errors
•
Eliminates order bias
•
Ensures accuracy
•
Reduces fatigue for respondent & interviewer
•
Addresses social and cultural issues
•
Has a positive environment impact
Provides a more accurate picture of India
•
Tap into new communities
•
Understand demographics for a larger India

5. WHY CANT WE COMPARE IRS 2013 WITH THE PAST?
The survey design has significantly changed from previous rounds - Data Collection, Sampling Design,
Coverage and Reporting Breaks
•
Population projections are now based on Census 2011, and estimated to December 2013
• Most city boundaries have been redefined, to include newer urban outgrowths
• For many Metros population dropped from estimated population to 2011 census population
•
Data Collection Methodology
• 100% use of Dual Screen CAPI, reduces order bias, respondent and interviewer fatigue,
•
•
•
•
Interviews locked down immediately, to remove any “post-correction”
Location Tagging and Random Audio Recording to improve quality of interviews
Data Processing done on automated servers without manual intervention
More Recent Definition of Media Consumption
• Readership based on real usage – Last 1 Month, instead of Popularity Recall – Last 1 Year

6. BASED ON LATEST CENSUS DATA
•
IRS 2013 uses latest GOI census data, removing significant deviations in many market-level
population estimates. Some of the more salient changes are listed below:
20
15
15.314.2
13.5
12.1
17.7
15.6
10
7 7.6
5
0
Delhi
Kolkata
2012
Mumbai
2013
Chennai

7. REDEFINITION OF READERSHIP FOR DAILIES
•
The process to identify readers of Dailies, and hence the definition of readers of dailies has
been updated in IRS 2013
PREVIOUSLY
Read a Newspaper
IRS 2013
Past 12 Months
Past 30 Days
Read a Newspaper
Language Filter (P30D)
AIR (Yesterday)
•
This ‘funnel’ process ensures
•
That a frame of reference is set in the respondent’s mind
•
Elimination of high claimed readership of Dailies
•
Ensures recency of readership in data capture
AIR (Yesterday)

8. STUDY DESIGN INCLUDES A MARGIN OF ERROR
•
IRS is a sample survey and the sample design is based on 10:90:20 Rule: 10% Incidence, 90% Confidence, Relative Error under 20%
•
Below are examples that show the margin or error in estimates
Geography
Sample
Size
Publication
AIR*
Incidence
Margin of
Error
Lower
Limit*
Upper
Limit*
536
3.8%
14.4%
459
613
2,510
3.3%
7.3%
2,327
2,693
Lokmat
247
24.82%
10.4%
221
273
Amar Ujala
56
6.24%
22.4%
44
69
Delhi
4,143
Dainik Jagran
West Bengal
18,835
Bartaman
Aurangabad
940
Chandigarh
1,015
•
Despite lower penetration, IRS 2013 deliver significantly lower error rate for most cases
•
Estimates provided in IRS are not point estimates. Given the study design is a margin of
error built in
•
We caution users to be cognizant of these error margins
* Wtd (000s)

9. ANALYSES ON UNSTABLE BASES
•
The IRS Terms of Usage stipulate that users must not analyze or report numbers (especially,
AIR) on an unweighted respondent count of less than 30
•
It is being claimed that A Publication has multiple times readership in a City outside the
home city as compared to the home city. Because of low sample counts, such instances are
possible… Hence, the software warns when sample reaches a threshold.
Totals
Home City
Unwgt
31
1
-
(000s)
104
3
-
Vert%
Publication A
City X
0.01
0.21
-
•
We strongly urge all media houses to report numbers based on statistically valid samples (at
least 30), and as guided by IRS Terms of Usage
•
DO REFER TO THE IRS TERMS OF USAGE

10. AN EXAMPLE
A

11. LOW BASE -EXCEL O/P WITH ERROR MESSAGE

12. THANK YOU