GeoPoll Unveils First Overnight TV Ratings Service In Five African Countries In Time For World Cup

GeoPoll, which raised a $6.6 million Series A round last year to fund its mobile survey platform for developing countries, has launched a service that will provide the first daily TV ratings in several African markets.

GeoPoll’s release of its Audience Measurement Service was timed to happen just before the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. During the games, GeoPoll will publish viewership data from each game, giving broadcasters and advertiser next-day feedback.

The startup, which is run by parent company Mobile Accord, says that before its Audience Measurement Service, companies looking for audience and viewership information had to rely on months-old data from surveys performed by research firms like Ipsos Synovate, TNS Sofres, and Nielsen.

GeoPoll’s data, however, differentiates by offering more information about the demographics of more than 300 million viewers in five countries (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda) which it says makes it the largest TV audience measurement company in Africa. The company gets its data through partnerships with telecoms and its cross-platform survey platform, which is accessible by text, voice, or a website.

The service updates TV and radio audience information in half-hour or two-hour time blocks, respectively; sorts statistics by channel ratings, including ranking and timeline comparisons; and measures audience by location, demographics, and psychographics.

GeoPoll says it plans to continue expanding its rating service throughout Africa in the next few months.

Photo by Flickr user Robert Couse-Baker used under a Creative Commons 2.0 license