Netflix joins TV’s ratings currency in fight for ad dollars

Netflix’s advertising tier will be measured alongside broadcast television and broadcaster streaming services in Australia’s official TV audience currency, giving advertisers a common basis to compare audiences as the platforms compete for spending.

Under a multi-year agreement with OzTAM, developed in collaboration with Nielsen, Netflix Ad Tier viewing data will be integrated into VOZ, the measurement system the television industry uses to plan and report audiences.

From 1 February 2027, media buyers will be able to analyse viewing of Netflix’s ad-supported content alongside existing television data, using the same metrics and breakdowns by market, device and demographics.

Netflix already competes with traditional television for viewers and advertising revenue. This agreement brings its advertising tier into the same measurement framework, making that competition easier for buyers to assess.

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What the shared measurement means

VOZ combines audiences watching broadcast television with those using broadcaster video-on-demand services, known as BVOD.

These include the streaming services operated by television networks. Linear television is the scheduled broadcast; BVOD lets viewers watch through the broadcaster’s streaming service.

An audience “currency” is the agreed measurement advertisers and media companies use to assess viewing. Bringing Netflix Ad Tier into that system will allow buyers to examine its audiences using the same reporting framework they use for broadcast TV and BVOD.

That matters when deciding where to put an advertising budget. Buyers will gain a more consistent basis for comparing audiences across those services, rather than assessing Netflix separately.

The agreement covers Netflix’s advertising tier. It does not bring all Netflix viewing into VOZ’s detailed reporting.

Netflix’s path into OzTAM

Netflix launched its ad-supported tier in Australia in November 2022 at $6.99 a month, with four to five ads per hour of viewing.

In May 2025, it joined OzTAM’s measurement ecosystem. That made it the first global SVOD platform to have its local viewing independently measured by Australia’s official TV ratings provider. The first phase put Netflix into Streamscape. OzTAM said at the time that a second phase would feed ad-tier data into VOZ, and today’s agreement is that second phase.

The deal also gives buyers an independent check on Netflix’s own numbers. Last November, the streamer switched to Monthly Active Viewers as its headline ad metric and claimed 4 million in Australia. That figure combines ad-viewing data with Netflix’s own estimates of household audience size.

Netflix’s ad tier gets its own audience breakdown

The first stage is already available through OzTAM’s enhanced Streamscape report for the third quarter of 2026.

Streamscape provides a broader picture of video consumption across broadcast television, broadcaster streaming, subscription streaming and social video platforms.

For the first time, it separates viewing of Netflix’s advertising and ad-free tiers on connected TVs. Other devices are expected to follow later.

Across July to September, Netflix accounted for 19.7% of total streaming viewing on connected TVs. Its advertising tier contributed 5.1%, while its non-advertising tier accounted for 14.6%.

Netflix Ad Tier’s share alone was comparable to the total streaming viewing shares of Prime Video at 6.1% and Disney at 6.0%.

Those figures measure shares of streaming viewing on connected TVs. They are not shares of all television and video viewing, or measures of advertising revenue.

Detailed reporting arrives in February

The next stage will give the industry access to Netflix Ad Tier content-level viewing through accredited third-party software tools from 1 February 2027.

Reporting frequency will differ: broadcast television and BVOD currency data will continue to be released daily, while Netflix’s daily viewing data will be delivered monthly, covering the preceding month.

The first February release will cover January 2027.

OzTAM CEO Karen Halligan said the integration would support more consistent audience comparisons.

“Independent, people-based audience measurement provides an objective view of actual viewing behaviour. By bringing Netflix Ad Tier viewing into the same measurement framework as broadcast TV and BVOD, we’re giving the industry a more consistent and comparable understanding of audiences across platforms, supporting better-informed planning and investment decisions.

“The methodology underpinning this integration also lays the groundwork for other SVOD platforms to be represented individually in OzTAM’s reporting in the future.”

OzTAM will provide education and support throughout 2027 to help subscribers incorporate the data into their planning and analysis.