Virtual Australia (VOZ), the nation's all-screen Total TV viewing and campaign performance solution, is moving into its final phase of broader industry adoption on its journey towards becoming Australia's reporting standard and trading currency in 2024.

The third phase of VOZ's implementation has begun, with media agencies starting to incorporate the VOZ database into their systems and workflows. This follows the first phase, completed in May 2023, which saw the release of daily next-day Overnight VOZ data, delivery of the Quarter Hour audience files (QHFs), and publication of Total TV program ranking and audience reach reports on the VirtualOz.com.au website.

The second phase ensured third-party software suppliers (TPSS), tasked with building the analytical software needed to process the VOZ dataset, could achieve VOZ Gold Standard accreditations. OzTAM, Australia's official source of television audience measurement, provided these Gold Standard requirements to TPSS developers, including Broadcast Map, Day 8, Nielsen L&J, and Tech Edge. Several software modules have recently attained VOZ Gold Standard accreditation, with more to land in the coming weeks.

In parallel, for more than 18 months OzTAM has been working with the Media Federation of Australia (MFA) to incorporate media agency needs in the construction and deployment of VOZ and the software required to utilise VOZ data.

"Australia is the only country in the world that has a product like VOZ, with fully integrated linear and BVOD measurement for both content and commercials," OzTAM CEO, Karen Halligan, said. "VOZ Total TV, that has been conceived, developed and built in Australia, delivers the clearest picture of viewing on all screen types than has ever been possible."

Craig Johnson, Chair of OzTAM’s Technical Board and Seven West Media Director of Research and Insights, said it had worked diligently with Regional TAM, the broadcasters, media agencies and our TPSS partners to get the technical infrastructure and user-interface right.

"As we progress the industry transition to VOZ as trading currency, we’ve taken care to ensure VOZ addresses critical industry needs."

VOZ Total TV viewing data is now released to the market at 11.30am AEDT daily, 90 minutes earlier than the initial release of daily next-day reporting in May of this year. OzTAM and Nielsen continue to work towards earlier daily release of the highly complex VOZ dataset. Daily VOZ Overnight and Consolidated 7 Program ranking reports, and weekly Consolidated 7 Top Program Ranking and Cumulative Reach reports, are posted daily.

VOZ is set to become the foundation of Australia’s new Total TV reporting standard and trading currency in 2024. It brings together broadcaster content viewed on TV sets (OzTAM and Regional TAM TV ratings) and connected devices (OzTAM’s VPM service, which captures online-delivered TV content, or ‘BVOD’) in a single detailed minute-by-minute database.