Nielsen adds Comcast set-top box data

Comcast – owner of Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal – is the fourth major cable or satellite business to integrate its non-personally identifiable TV viewing data with Nielsen’s panel data.

Nielsen said the addition of data from cable and satellite boxes into its local measurement will allow it to evolve its Local TV currency ratings to deliver local audiences and viewing trends.

Megan Clarken, global president of Watch at Nielsen, said: "Our enhanced Local TV measurement strategy combines the best elements from Nielsen’s high-quality panels with set-top box data from Comcast and other providers in an anonymous way."

"We are leveraging all data sources to deliver a comprehensive service that offers true local market insights and showcases the power of local television."

In 2018, Nielsen will begin to incorporate anonymised data from Comcast homes along with set-top box data from other providers and Nielsen’s local meters into local TV ratings. The data will be used to report audience viewing trends on an aggregated basis.