TNS Renamed 'Kantar Media'

Media research and measurement firm TNS Media is changing its name to Kantar Media, following its 2008 acquisition by London-based Kantar, which is a subsidiary of media, communications and advertising conglomerate WPP.

"The ability to offer an integrated media vision with unique consumer understanding is critical to our clients," Kantar Media CEO Jean-Michel Portier, previously chairman and CEO of TNS Media Intelligence Worldwide, said in a statement. "This evolution to Kantar Media enables us to offer integrated media audience measurement, competitive intelligence, and behavioral analytics at every step in the communications cycle, helping our clients to master momentum in a multimedia world. "

Terry Kent, formerly general manager of TNS Media North America, is now managing director of Kantar Media North America.

Kantar Media will be organized around three sectors: Intelligence, integrating the business unit formerly known as TNS Media Intelligence, as well as digital and social media intelligence services with Compete Cymfony and SRDS; Audiences, integrating the business unit formerly known as TNS Media Research, to provide Internet, TV and radio audience measurement worldwide; and TGI & Custom, which will provide a network of syndicated single-source marketing and media studies that measure consumer product and brand consumption, attitudes and media usage.

Kantar Media has more than 22,000 customers around the world. The Kantar Group has 26,500 employees in 95 countries.