JustBusiness: Understanding Media Monitoring: A Conversation with PEH's Yaku Pienaar
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On JustGospel's Just Business with Lindy Tshabangu, Jaco Pienaar, Chief Communications Officer of PEH (Professional Evaluation and Research), demystified the world of media monitoring and analysis—explaining why every business needs to understand their brand presence and reputation.
What is Media Monitoring?
Media monitoring tracks brand mentions across all media platforms: newspapers, magazines, radio, television, online publications, and social media—from Facebook to TikTok. PEH functions as a comprehensive search engine across traditional and digital media, capturing mentions continent-wide and analyzing context.
The core question: What are people saying about your brand? Whether you're featured in local newspapers, consumer magazines, radio, TV, or social platforms, understanding public perception is crucial for building and protecting reputation. PEH works with PR firms, private organizations, and entrepreneurs to identify where they're mentioned—and critically, where they're not mentioned—providing insights for better positioning.
The Power of Reach
Beyond identifying mentions, impact measurement focuses on audience reach. Different media types require different measurement approaches. In South Africa, industry bodies like the Broadcast Research Council conduct quarterly surveys tracking which shows people watch and listen to on five-day cycles. Newspapers use circulation figures showing print runs and distribution.
PEH leverages these industry figures and works directly with media owners to tell clients: "If you were featured on this radio station with positive coverage, here's your potential impact, demographics, and audience profile." The fundamentals of media monitoring boil down to frequency and reach—how many times and who do you reach? This ultimately determines reputational impact.
Understanding AVE (Advertising Value Equivalent)
AVE represents what you would have paid if you'd purchased that media coverage as advertising. When journalists write about your product or attend your media event, that's earned publicity—not paid advertising. But AVE calculates the monetary equivalent.
The calculation follows global best practices using rate card rates. Print media uses square centimeter rates—bigger articles mean higher value, with rates varying by publication. Magazines work on half-page or full-page rates converted to square centimeter values. Broadcast media (radio/TV) uses 30-second ad blocks, with prime time and drive time commanding higher rates due to larger audiences. PEH multiplies these standard rates by your actual article size or broadcast duration.
Award-Winning Campaigns
PEH has worked across diverse sectors—agencies, corporate, government, and NPOs. Recent highlights include multiple client wins at industry awards, Springbok rugby campaigns, and the annual Cape Town Kites competition for Cape Mental Health supporting mental disabilities.
Jaco's personal passion focuses on campaigns making genuine societal impact: "Campaigns that contribute positively to charity, organization, society, or community—bringing attention to causes people don't know about—those really stand out." Creative positioning that carries messages in fascinating, innovative ways particularly excites him.
Final Wisdom
Quoting Rupert Murdoch: "Reputation takes years to build but only seconds to destroy." Entrepreneurs must constantly monitor their external positioning in the mass media environment. Partner with incredible agencies who understand your needs and trust them to convey your narrative accurately—positive media positioning is worth its weight in gold.
About PEH
Professional Evaluation and Research provides comprehensive media monitoring and analysis across Africa, helping brands understand their reputational impact and strategic positioning through data-driven insights.
What is Media Monitoring?
Media monitoring tracks brand mentions across all media platforms: newspapers, magazines, radio, television, online publications, and social media—from Facebook to TikTok. PEH functions as a comprehensive search engine across traditional and digital media, capturing mentions continent-wide and analyzing context.
The core question: What are people saying about your brand? Whether you're featured in local newspapers, consumer magazines, radio, TV, or social platforms, understanding public perception is crucial for building and protecting reputation. PEH works with PR firms, private organizations, and entrepreneurs to identify where they're mentioned—and critically, where they're not mentioned—providing insights for better positioning.
The Power of Reach
Beyond identifying mentions, impact measurement focuses on audience reach. Different media types require different measurement approaches. In South Africa, industry bodies like the Broadcast Research Council conduct quarterly surveys tracking which shows people watch and listen to on five-day cycles. Newspapers use circulation figures showing print runs and distribution.
PEH leverages these industry figures and works directly with media owners to tell clients: "If you were featured on this radio station with positive coverage, here's your potential impact, demographics, and audience profile." The fundamentals of media monitoring boil down to frequency and reach—how many times and who do you reach? This ultimately determines reputational impact.
Understanding AVE (Advertising Value Equivalent)
AVE represents what you would have paid if you'd purchased that media coverage as advertising. When journalists write about your product or attend your media event, that's earned publicity—not paid advertising. But AVE calculates the monetary equivalent.
The calculation follows global best practices using rate card rates. Print media uses square centimeter rates—bigger articles mean higher value, with rates varying by publication. Magazines work on half-page or full-page rates converted to square centimeter values. Broadcast media (radio/TV) uses 30-second ad blocks, with prime time and drive time commanding higher rates due to larger audiences. PEH multiplies these standard rates by your actual article size or broadcast duration.
Award-Winning Campaigns
PEH has worked across diverse sectors—agencies, corporate, government, and NPOs. Recent highlights include multiple client wins at industry awards, Springbok rugby campaigns, and the annual Cape Town Kites competition for Cape Mental Health supporting mental disabilities.
Jaco's personal passion focuses on campaigns making genuine societal impact: "Campaigns that contribute positively to charity, organization, society, or community—bringing attention to causes people don't know about—those really stand out." Creative positioning that carries messages in fascinating, innovative ways particularly excites him.
Final Wisdom
Quoting Rupert Murdoch: "Reputation takes years to build but only seconds to destroy." Entrepreneurs must constantly monitor their external positioning in the mass media environment. Partner with incredible agencies who understand your needs and trust them to convey your narrative accurately—positive media positioning is worth its weight in gold.
About PEH
Professional Evaluation and Research provides comprehensive media monitoring and analysis across Africa, helping brands understand their reputational impact and strategic positioning through data-driven insights.
