Andy Brown, CEO and chairman of Kantar Media, wrote in his letter to tview’s subscribers that its People Meter service for the Emirates Media Measurement Company (EMCC) will be discontinued from November 30, which is the last day of the five-year contract won by Kantar Media in 2010. In the letter he writes, “Whilst we have fulfilled all contractual obligations, the stakeholders of EMMC, Abu Dhabi Media, Etisalat, Rotana Media, Sharjah Media and twofour54, have not. EMMC owes a substantial debt to Kantar Media, and the severity of this leaves us with no choice but to withdraw the TV ratings service from the market; conversations have begun to examine the appropriate legal process to recover this debt.”

He goes on to add that this leaves the UAE’s TV industry “with no option but to trade without an internationally accepted TV ratings currency”.

Although the service has been discontinued, he said, “We will re-open dialogue if there is a genuine desire to fuel the long-term prosperity of TV in the region.”