Ratings review is under scrutiny

Friday 9th February 2001

By Deborah Hill Cone

The Commerce Commission is having an informal look at whether the television industry review of its rating system might breach price fixing rules - but says it has not received any complaints.

The two major free-to-air networks are getting together to review the ratings system.

Up until now they bought the ratings information from research company ACNielsen and neither party knew what the other paid for it or what it cost ACNielsen to collate the information through its Peoplemeter scheme.

But information is now to be shared by a project team working to put together a tender document as part of the review process. The team includes members from TVNZ, TV3 and Sky.

Commerce Commission spokesman Vince Cholewa said under the law governing restrictive trade practices the broadcasters would be deemed to be price fixing if their arrangement substantially lessened competition in a market.

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