Pay-TV platform Astro launched a new era of audience insights in Malaysia this month in partnership with Kantar Media.

The proprietary system, Dynamic Television Audience Measurement (DTAM), uses Return Path Data (RPD) technology to capture/collate viewing data directly from set-top boxes in Astro’s 4.5 million households across Peninsular and East Malaysia.

Astro says DTAM will offer advertisers and media buyers in Malaysia “more granular insight into the viewing habits of Malaysian pay-TV homes”.

DTAM’s panel size of 5,000 “is able to accurately represent viewing behaviour of not only linear channels but also of HD channels, recorded and on-demand viewing,” Astro says, highlighting the ability to track viewership of advertising spots across all Astro channels.

“The viewing of content worldwide and in Malaysia has changed dramatically,” says Astro chief operating officer Henry Tan. “DTAM’s large panel size enables us to accurately capture the rich viewing habits of Malaysians. In addition, DTAM can be combined with Kantar consumer research to target specific brand and product users for more effective marketing,” Tan said.

DTAM comprises two viewer panels. The first consists of 70,000 IPTV/connected boxes – representing viewing habits of urban, affluent consumers. The second, a recruited panel of 5,000 homes, will be representative of all Malaysian television households.