Nielsen grows revenue in 2019

Nielsen’s full-year revenue was $6.5bn, with revenue from the Nielsen Global Media business increasing 1.9% on a reported basis ( 2.6% in constant currency) to $3.4bn.

The company said continued uptake of its Total Audience Measurement system led to a 2.5% increase in revenue, which was partly offset by pressure in local TV measurement.

Revenues for Nielsen Global Connect decreased 2.6% to $3.1bn, an increase of 0.7% in constant currency, compared to 2018.

The company’s fourth quarter revenue was $1.7bn, up 2.0% or 2.7% on a constant currency basis, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018.

David Kenny, chief executive officer at Nielsen (pictured), said: "2019 was a year of tremendous change and progress at Nielsen and I'm extremely proud of the way our teams executed. We delivered solid results and achieved or beat the goals we set out for 2019. Our results reflect increased financial discipline and operational progress as we focused on building a strong foundation for the future."

In 2019, Nielsen announced its plans to split into two businesses – Global Media and Global Connect – following a strategic review. The company is making "good progress" on the separation and aims to complete it by November 2020 – a year after the plan was announced.

Kenny said: "In Media, we are investing in our digital transformation and global adoption of One Media Truth, which we expect will result in faster growth over time. In Connect, the investments we've made in the Nielsen Connect platform and in automating operations have led to improved performance, and we continue to drive this turnaround."

He added: "We believe that each business is well-positioned for success as a standalone company and remain confident that this separation is the best path forward to enhance strategic focus, growth and long-term shareholder value."