Are Nielsen’s days over?

Chris Forrester

16-08-2009

Nielsen Media Research has measured the USA’s TV ratings since the mid-1950’s initially with its diary entry method and more recently with 18,000 ‘people meter’ systems. Its days may be over, however, if a new grouping of top broadcasters get their way.

The consortium contains powerful TV names such as NBC, Time Warner, CBS, News Corp, Discovery and Disney, as well as equally powerful advertisers including Procter & Gamble, Unilever and AT&T and their agencies and media buyers.

The scheme will rival Nielsen and the intention is to create and measure data drawn not just from conventional TV but also from so-called ‘new media’, and thus to directly measure the true impact of an advertising campaign across all devices and platforms. The plan, say sources, is to have the new system in place by Q4 this year.