• by Charlene Weisler , Op-Ed Contributor, November 2, 2011

Michele Buslik, senior vice president, director of media research at TargetCast tcm, is one of the most knowledgeable researchers in the industry. She is very active in many industry committees and initiatives including the 4As Media Measurement Committee. She is also a Board Member of the MRC and the Council for Research Excellence.  Michele is a past President of the Radio and TV Research Council as well as a member of the CASIE and SMART initiatives -- two early pioneers in Internet and television measurement respectively.

In my interview with her, Michele talks about the future of the industry, set-top-box data measurement and the importance of full disclosure of data algorithms, the evolving role of research, accreditation and the challenge of “false rumors” that raise doubts about the accuracy of research data used in the industry today.

The full interview can be accessed here. Below is an excerpt.

CW: What is the role of research in your agency?

MB: Research is the foundation of our work at TargetCast. From our beginnings, we have committed to having all of the research we need to service our growing and diverse client list, while developing a variety of proprietary applications to access these data with speed and accuracy so that we can arrive at actionable insights more quickly.  We also dive deep into consumer communications behavior through the development and use of our own primary research and tools under the management of the Director of Insights and Analytics, Wahab Ghaznavi.

CW: What is your opinion of the future of STB data for measurement?

MB: I believe that STB data providers started out on the wrong foot. There was a lot of misleading information disseminated to the industry which was not grounded in good research. That said, I also believe that STB will find its place in the evaluation process, but there has to be much more openness about the inevitable "black box" algorithms that are employed.

I sincerely wish that all of these providers would submit to the MRC for audit. The MRC provides a vital function for the industry. Most companies that have gone through the audit process will admit that their research services today are better than they would have been without the careful MRC review.

CW: I believe that there is at least one STB data processor that is currently being audited by the MRC. In addition, the data from this company is accepted into Media Ocean. Since all of this is occurring, is there a thought to then accept their data as part of the planning, buying and selling process?

MB: Certainly.  Access to the STB data is a tremendous stepping stone for these companies.  It is not a matter of accepting the STB data, but more a matter of finding where having this additional information fits best and makes the most sense for our clients.

CW: Michele, you’ve written a fascinating blog on the industry. Can you talk about your concern with“false rumors”?

MB: I thought I was the only one who read as many of the newsletters that I can on a daily basis -- but I was wrong.  For some unexplained reason, media directors and clients always find the newsletters that raise a doubt about something that is happening in the industry which impacts their media plan or strategy.  This starts a flurry of emails until the issue is more fully understood and accurately written about. 

It is not productive to raise these issues of where and how these rumors and misunderstanding of the facts of the situation occur.  It’s more important to address the issue, and ensure that the truth will out.  Excuses are just that -- justification for poor information -- and we need to discourage that behavior.

CW: Can you give me three predictions on where the media industry is headed in the next five years?

MB:Sure – I’ve got my crystal ball…

The next few years will be a testing ground for the industry. Consumers will continue to gain control over the media content and advertising which crosses their path. It will be a shakeout period for both the research community and the media content providers to keep up with the fast-paced changes. Only the best will survive.