The company won the endorsement for its proposal to redesign the existing print readership survey to include new questions covering consumer lifestyles, media usage, life stages, activities and attitudes.

Computer-assisted face-to-face interviews will replace paper questionnaires from 2011 and by 2015 Nielsen will have moved the survey fully online, PMIRRG said.

Nielsen will also introduce an annual cross-media and publishing brand engagement study and plans to fuse New Zealand’s Household Expenditure Monitor and a new panel-based online audience measurement tool to the core print readership database.

PMIRRG represents the Newspaper Publishers Association, the Magazine Publishers Association and Communication Advertising Agencies New Zealand. It was formed in late-2007 with the objective of evaluating the research needs of the New Zealand print media and communication industry.

Chairman Derek Lindsay said: “We are certain the new research service will provide a future-proofing solution for our industry over the next five years.”