South African Audience Research Foundation


The South African Audience Research Foundation is a non-profit organisation which publishes media audience and product/brand research on traditional media.
It was formerly known as the South African Advertising Research Foundation.
It is primarily known for its research surveys AMPS, RAMS and TAMS in addition to other products such as SAARF Development Index and the SAARF Universal Living Standards Measure.
WWW saarf.co.za

History

  • 1973 : Formation of SAARF announced.
  • 1974 : Formally established.
  • 1975 : Operations began.
  • 1975: First research report, SAARF AMPS 1975.
  • 1985: Casper Venter retires. Gert Yssel steps in to fill the position.
  • 1987: Outdoor was included in AMPS for the first time.
  • 1980s : MARST was conceived, to handle the collection of the levy and distribute to ASA and SAARF.
  • 1990 : MARST is formed.
  • 1992 : MARST is terminated.
  • 1996: A new MD of SAARF is appointed, Mike Gorton, who was tasked with a strategic review of SAARF's budget and future plans.
  • 2000: SAARF increased the scope of its activities after it conducted strategic reviews to find out what the Industry wanted.
  • 2012 : SAARF started using IHS Global Insight Regional eXplorer suite of models for their population estimates.
  • 2012 : Name changed to "South African Audience Research Foundation".
  • 2013 : NAB gives notice of its resignation from SAARF.
  • 2013 : Clare O’Neill withdrew from the board after SAARF Annual General Meeting.

Surveys

The surveys are done by Nielsen on behalf of SAARF.All Media and Products Survey : covers the total population of South Africa that is at least 15 years of age. Interviewers with laptops do in-home interviews using Double Screen - Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing. The AMPS data is released twice a year, based on 12-month rolling data.Radio Audience Measurement Survey : At the end of the above mentioned interview, a RAMS diary is left with the respondent for a week so as to gain radio listenership. The RAMS data is released six times a year, based on period-on-period as well as year-on-year data.Television Audience Measurement Survey .

AMPS Features

AMPS 1975AMPS 1985AMPS 1995AMPS 2010BAMPS 2011BAMPS 2012BAMPS 2013B
Newspapers453641525355
Daily Newspapers221917212223
Weekly Newspapers231724282829
Bi-Weekly---111
Monthly Newspapers---212
Supplements0040127133129
Magazines343544162148146
Radio Stations91828187205228240
TV Channels046159171167
TV Terrestrial046
TV Satellite000