The current establishment survey contract is held by Ipsos and runs until the end of 2026. The new contracts will run from 2027 to 2029.

Barb’s establishment survey is an ongoing annual piece of research to understand what people watch. It provides information that is used by Barb to underpin its delivery of audience figures from a nationally representative panel of 7,000 homes.

NatCen will conduct the survey, with a remit to ensure Barb’s panel reflects up-to-date estimates of the equipment people use to watch linear and on-demand TV services. Other key objectives include quantifying targets for how many homes of different types should be on the panel, and to provide the industry with insight on the penetration of, and overlap between, new and established TV platforms.

NatCen and RSMB’s partnership will include redesigning the survey questionnaire with the aim of improving interview flow and accessibility for participants. RSMB will lead on survey weighting.

Both NatCen and Ipsos will be responsible for recruiting homes that are willing to be part of Barb’s panel, with NatCen recruiting target households that have taken part in the establishment survey, and Ipsos topping up the recruitment by identifying additional new homes.

The survey methodology will prioritise random-probability, face-to-face fieldwork and Ipsos will also top up recruitment using various contact techniques. NatCen will also start to test the use of mixed-mode methods as part of the survey.

Caroline Baxter, chief operating officer at Barb, said: “NatCen has extensive experience of complex questionnaire design and conducting high-quality, random-probability fieldwork for government research, while RSMB is an expert in sample design for media research, including for Barb. Their partnership makes them well-placed to ensure the establishment survey is flexible and future-facing, while retaining a high-quality design and implementation.

“Ipsos is a longstanding partner of Barb and successfully managed the expansion of our panel to 7,000 homes in 2024. It has the crucial experience and infrastructure needed to run the panel top-up recruitment contract.”