All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (ARPORC)

The VCIOM (All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center) calls itself the oldest research organization in Russia in the field of sociology. The center is created in 1987 (from 1987 to 1991 - All-Union), specializes first of all in polls, completely belongs to the state.

The VCIOM carries annually out more than 400 large-scale projects of studying of public opinion. Under these tasks in the company the project office is created: project managers, "field" personnel which are engaged in direct carrying out various researches and also specialists in formation of statistics and analysts. When the order for a research comes to the center, in a system the task forms, and questionnaires are transferred to "fields". According to the results of polls the acquired information is processed by analysis department and control body.

For 2018 the VCIOM conducts researches on 3 main directions (policy, the social sphere, business) at the regional and federal levels, in the former Soviet Union and also in the USA, Asia and Europe. The VCIOM implements own educational and publishing programs. In the work the VCIOM is guided by the principles of ESOMAR.

History

2016

The VCIOM purchases 80% of TNS Russia

In June, 2016 it became known that the VCIOM through the child structure - VCIOM of Media LLC (it is created at the beginning of 2016) - can purchase 80% of the TNS Russia telemetering system which is included into the British advertizing holding WPP. This company measures audience of the Russian TV channels, radio stations and other media.

It is forced sale: in the summer of 2016. The State Duma adopted amendments to laws on media and advertizing according to which since September, 2017 advertisers and their intermediaries at placement of rollers on TV will be obliged to have the agreement with the measuring company which is selected by the state, and is specific - Roskomnadzor. The service should decide on the choice by January, 2017.

According to top managers of two large media holdings, the transaction on sale of 80% of TNS Russia to structure of VCIOM of the party can be closed "closer to winter". Both companies do not comment on information, and did not come to the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of the corresponding petition.

It became known later that "VCIOM media" essentially agreed about purchase from the British WPP of 80% of TNS analytical company.

In August, 2016 it was reported that "VCIOM media" she intends to hold the tender for attraction of the credit (follows from the documents of the company published on the website of state procurements). It the only supplier will have a purchase. In the draft of the credit agreement attached to documents of the tender it is specified what "VCIOM media" is going to obtain the credit of 1.4 billion rubles for a period of seven years under a key interest rate of the Central bank (10.5%) plus 1% per annum. The declaration is published at 8:57 p.m. Moscow time on Friday August 5, the same day is designated as the last day submissions of requests.

In the draft of the credit agreement the bank name is not specified, but there is number of its state license (No. 1000), specifies Interfax. It is a license number of VTB. The bank representative refused any comments.

"VCIOM media" will raise these funds for "financing of acquisition, the current activity and payment of license and service payments". Repay the credit the company will have to begin since 2018. About what acquisition there is a speech, in the document nothing is specified.

The amount of the loan attracted by "VCIOM media" is close to that how many the company agreed to pay for 80% of TNS, tells the source of Vedomosti familiar with negotiators with WPP and VCIOM. But at the transaction complex structure therefore it is difficult to give exact numbers, he explains. Before other source of Vedomosti told that transaction amount will be small in comparison with revenue of TNS which "considerably exceeds 5 billion rubles". Officially financial performance of TNS is opened by neither her, nor WPP^[1].

Registration of "VCIOM Media" as competitors of TNS for measurement of TV viewers

The VCIOM registered in the spring of 2016 VCIOM of Media company for measurement of television audience. A main competitor of the enterprise is TNS Index, Adindex reported.

The chairman of the board of fund Konstantin Abramov reported that the organization is faced by a task to become the leader of the research market in Russia.

"the VCIOM of Media" is appointed by the CEO Alexey Malinin working in 2010-2012 in the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications. In 2013-2014 he was the adviser to the CEO of Gazprom Media Mikhail Lesin and till April, 2015 entered into Board of Directors of NTV Plus.

The company was registered at the end of April, 2016. On June 6 the deputy Andrey Lugovoy introduced to the State Duma the bill which prohibits to participate in distance measurements to the companies without the state accreditation. The document establishes that the organization should not less than for 80% to belong to the Russian citizens or legal persons. In turn TNS is a part of the British WPP Group group.

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