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New company formed to measure newspapers’ readership figures

Simon Redican

A new company is set to be created next year to replace the National Readership Survey, with the aim of better reflecting the current multi-platform landscape.

The Publishers Audience Measurement Company (PAMCO) will be launched in 2016 to provide more comprehensive data on audiences for the titles it measures, which include national newspapers and some regional papers.

Simon Redican, pictured left, who is currently chief executive of the National Readership Survey, is the CEO-designate of the new company and the search is on for its inaugural chair.

There is also a shortlist of three research providers for the audience measurement contract, who have been asked to submit bids for a new system which takes account of the growing number of devices and platforms.

Said Simon: “The launch of the Publishers Audience Measurement Company (PAMCO) next year will be a landmark event and I really relish the challenge of creating something new and exciting to represent today’s innovative published media sector.

“The stakeholder review of audience measurement was started within weeks of me joining NRS nine months ago and I can reassure the industry that the NRS will continue to deliver until the process is complete and will effect a seamless transition to the new industry audience measurement solution.”

When the new organisation is created, its board will be run by an independent chair and will include representatives from the newspaper and magazine industry.

Regional titles whose audiences are currently measured by the NRS include the Yorkshire Post, The Scotsman and Dundee-based The Courier.