NEWS2 July 2010

Nielsen brings ‘live’ ratings back to local markets

North America Technology

US— Nielsen has backtracked on its plan to ditch ‘live-only’ TV ratings in local markets, and will reintroduce them in time for the 2010-11 television season.

The firm announced earlier this year that the live-only rating was going to be replaced by a new metric combining live viewing with ‘same-day’ viewing through DVRs.

Nielsen’s original decision to get rid of the metric was attacked by some clients, such as the American Association of Advertising Agencies, who said that the firm had shown “total disregard” for the concerns of local broadcast media buyers.

The ratings firm had previously carried out five months’ worth of consultation with clients over its plans to phase out the live-only rating, and dismissed the AAAA’s attack.

In a letter sent to clients yesterday Nielsen’s SVP and managing director for local media client services Sabrina Crow said: “Given strong interest among some of our clients in the live-only stream, we will be restoring that stream in local people meter and set meter for both the NSI (Nielsen Station Index) and NHSI (Hispanic) samples.”

The live-only ratings will be offered alongside the live and same-day. Live Plus 3 and Live Plus 7 metrics.

@RESEARCH LIVE

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