Weibo, CSM Media will launch 'social media TV index'

Sina's microblogging site Weibo has entered into a partnership with CSM Media Research to launch "social media TV index."

The index will be used to evaluate television programs and how much discussion they generate online.

It's expected to provide a more accurate indication of the popularity of a program compared to regular audience ratings. The index will also be used to analyze the effectiveness of marketing for each program.

The index will be based on the number of postings and discussions tracked during a 24-hour period starting 6 hours before a program is broadcast.

Social media has provided a new outlet for viewers to discuss television shows.

Previous CSM research suggested more than 50 percent of Weibo users in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have discussed or mentioned TV programs in the past year.