Google has forced UK television measurement providers Barb and Kantar Media to suspend their “landmark service” that compares viewership on its video portal YouTube with other TV channels and streamers. The FT has reported that Google sent a legal ‘cease and desist’ letter to Kantar Media just months after it launched in July 2025, stopping […]

Barb, the audience measurement specialist, has launched Barb Ads Hub, a new analytics system designed for full-cycle ad campaign planning and reporting. At launch, Barb Ads Hub includes post-campaign analysis through CFlight, the joint-industry accountability tool for linear and VOD services. Pre-campaign planning functionality will follow in Q1. Built by RSMB for Barb in direct […]

Barb, the audience management specialist, has appointed RSMB to deliver the third phase of its API. Barb said API 3.0 is a crucial element of its data-distribution strategy, devised to meet the industry’s desire for more choice in how they ingest Barb data into their own business systems. RSMB will be tasked with developing a […]

Channel 4 has reported that it “led the way” in converting youth audiences to streaming in 2025, while growth among adults outpaced the biggest streaming platforms in the UK. Channel 4’s 16-34 viewers streamed 53 per cent of their overall Channel 4 viewing across 2025 – the first time a major commercial broadcaster has passed […]

Barb, the UK TV measurement body, has appointed three agencies following a recent tender. NatCen and RSMB will deliver its Establishment Survey and Ipsos will deliver its panel top-up recruitment. The new contracts will run from 2027-2029. Barb’s Establishment Survey is a keycomponent of the UK industry’s standard for understanding what people watch. It is […]

Barb, the UK TV measurement body, has launched the Barb Data Hub, a new cloud-based system for storing, processing and distributing Barb viewing data to the industry. The Barb Data Hub is an overhaul in the underlying infrastructure for storing, processing and distributing Barb data. All the calculations required to create Barb’s DB2 daily viewing […]

Barb, the UK TV measurement body, has announced that it is searching for its next Chief Executive following Justin Sampson’s decision to step down from the role in 2026. Barb noted that it is “on the verge of another wave of innovation designed to ensure the measurement and reporting of audiences to linear, streaming and […]

Barb, the audience measurement and television ratings organisation, has released data from its Establishment Survey showing that 20.5 million UK homes (69.5 per cent) had access to a SVoD service in Q3 2025. This is a slight dip from 20.6 million UK homes in Q2 2025. The service-level subscriptions data are as follows: Netflix: 17.6 […]

ITVX has surpassed 3 billion streams for the year to date. The figure was achieved more than three weeks earlier than in 2024, which ITV says is “testament to the accelerated growth of its streaming platform”. ITV added that its BVoD service has been the #1 commercial BVoD platform in the UK every single month […]

Barb, the audience measurement and television ratings organisation, has released data from its Establishment Survey showing that 20.6 million UK homes (69.7 per cent) had access to a SVoD service in Q2 2025. This is an increase from 20.1 million UK homes in Q1 2025. The service-level subscriptions data are as follows: Netflix: 17.6 million […]