Antena 1 protests audience data

The Romanian national commercial station Antena 1 has decided to sue TNS-AGB International over what it claims to be incorrect audience date for its flagship news bulletin Observator. According to Antena 1, which is part of the Intact Media Group, TNS-AGB has been deliberately harming it and “acting out of certain interests” by giving Observator the same audience figures six weeks in a row this August and September, while at the same time recording increases in the ratings CME-backed Pro TV, Antena 1’s main competitor. TNS-AGB International is owned by Taylor Nelson Sofres (51%), TAM Holding (29%) and IMAS Marketing and Surveys (19.5%) and has held the contract to provide audience data in Romania since 2003. However, this will be taken over by GfK next January.