MUMBAI: Audience Measurement and Analytics (AMA), which in June 2004 announced the launch of online television ratings system Audience Map (aMap) in India, has signed on its first major client Zee Telefilms Ltd in a one year deal

As per the deal, aMap will provide rating services for the whole network.

AMA chief executive Tapan Pal claims the company is in final negotiations to sign on another six to seven broadcasters. Pal tells indiantelevision.com the announcement would come by the first half of July. Pal refused to divulge the names of these channels though.

"Discussions are in progress. The cost has been finalised. Contracts are under negotiation," says Pal

aMAP plans to kick off its negotiations with regional channels in the next phase. Pal said the company would be targeting Southern channels first.

"First we want to install our meters in this region. We have already done the establishing survey. The marketing initiatives will begin once the meters are installed," Pal says, adding that the South is one crucial market they have identified in India.

AMA has set up its Research & Development (R&D) centre in Ahmedabad. Pal claims that real time data at a relatively lesser price is the USP of the company. He says aMap has plans to generate predictive data in the near future.

According to the information provided by the company, aMap collects the TV viewership data from the sample homes everyday morning between 2 am and 4 am using cellular telephone technology. These reports are then immediately available on-line to subscribers through a VPN (virtual private network) connection.