The issue of audience measurement in Côte d'Ivoire is at the center of debate, reflecting a crucial challenge for the country's audiovisual and advertising ecosystem. In recent months, the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA) has stepped up its warnings against unregulated measurement initiatives, even as the audiovisual landscape evolves under the impetus of new technologies and partnerships.
Under Law No. 2017-868, amended by Law No. 2022-979, the HACA has a legal monopoly on audience measurement for audiovisual media. In its press releases of July 18 and September 20, 2024, it reiterated that any measurement carried out without its supervision is considered illegal. It also imposes strict conditions on studies carried out on private parks, including prior validation of methodologies and data confidentiality.
These reminders came as Médiamétrie and CANAL+ Advertising were implementing AFRICAMAT, a new pan-African and local solution. This initiative, although innovative and not limited to Côte d'Ivoire, is coming up against the HACA's desire to centralize and certify all audience data in order to avoid market fragmentation and conflicts of interpretation.
Technical innovation at the forefront
AFRICAMAT, developed by CANAL+ADVERTISING and Médiamétrie, illustrates the capacity for innovation in the field of audience measurement. This system, based on CANAL+ decoders, records audience figures down to the second at the household level. Médiamétrie supplements this technical data with in-depth surveys to estimate individual audience figures. Although limited to CANAL+ subscribers, the tool offers a dynamic and granular view of viewer behavior. The results are intended for internal use only, which limits its impact on the advertising market outside of CANAL+ ADVERTISING's customers.
A lack of consensus weighing on the market
The lack of a single, consensus-based measurement system, promised by the HACA for two years, has created a prolonged period of uncertainty. While the tender process to select a measurement operator is, according to our information, in its final stages, the effective implementation of a robust system could still take months. In the meantime, channels and advertisers find themselves deprived of reliable, shared data to guide their strategic decisions.
This situation weakens local channels, particularly in the face of better-equipped international players. It also hinders the Ivorian advertising market, which lacks reliable indicators to attract significant investment. Médiamétrie's recent announcement that it will cease its declarative studies on Ivorian DTT after 12 years of presence illustrates the frustrations generated by this complex context.
Towards a sustainable solution
To restore confidence and stabilize the market, a single, robust, and certified audience measurement system is essential. It must meet the expectations of broadcasters, advertisers, and regulators, while relying on solid and transparent methodologies. Collaboration between private and public actors and the HACA will be crucial in overcoming the current challenges.
In the meantime, initiatives such as AFRICAMAT and Africascope (KANTAR) will continue to partially fill the gap, while highlighting the opportunities offered by technological advances. However, only a solution that is recognized by all can truly structure and revitalize the Ivorian audiovisual sector. The upcoming decisions of the HACA, particularly regarding the choice of measurement operator, are therefore eagerly awaited by all stakeholders.