Content provided in partnership with

Business Services Industry

Nielsen Media Research to Begin People Meter Measurement in Local Markets; Boston Selected As `Demonstration Market'; Nine Additional Markets Could be Metered in Three Years

Business Wire, Dec 8, 1999

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 8, 1999--

Demonstrating its commitment to continuous improvement in audience measurement, Nielsen Media Research announced today a plan to introduce People Meter service into local audience measurement.

Boston, the sixth-ranked market in the United States with more than two-million TV households, is scheduled to be the first local market installed with People Meters, beginning next year. Nielsen Media Research is prepared to install People Meter service in nine additional markets over the next three years, depending on customer support.

Most Popular Articles in Business: Research and Markets : Tesco Plc - SWOT Framework Analysis; Do Us a Flavor - Ben & Jerry's Issues a Call for Euphoric New Flavors; eBay made easy: ready to start an eBay business? These 5 simple steps will ...; Katrina's lawsuit surge: a legal battle to force insurers to pay for flood ...; Wal-Mart's newest distribution center opened last month near the southwest ...; More »

Electronic People Meters, which are used by Nielsen Media Research for nationwide audience measurement in the United States, provide demographic ratings data for the seven broadcast networks, 50 cable networks and hundreds of national syndicators. The nationwide People Meter sample consists of 5,000 households. The size of local People Meter samples would vary by market. Boston's People Meter sample will be approximately 600 households.

Boston, an existing metered market with more than 400 sample households, would serve as a demonstration market where three different measurements could be evaluated by customers. The existing metered service provides set-tuning information which delivers household ratings the next day. In addition, during the "sweep" months, different sample homes are asked to fill out a paper diary for one week. Data from the set-tuning meter and the diary samples are merged to produce the sweep books, which local broadcasters and cable systems use to set advertising rates. During the proposed demonstration period, those data would be compared to the new People Meter data from different sample homes in Boston.

In local markets which accept People Meters, the new service would replace existing set-tuning meters and paper diaries. "The Nielsen Media Research People Meter service is a state-of-the-art methodology with a proven record of performance," said John A. Dimling, president and chief executive officer of Nielsen Media Research. "Based on a single research sample, this electronic service provides clients with year-round, local demographic data with a speed and continuity that is not available from other audience collection tools.

"The reality of today's fragmented, highly competitive media environment - compounded by the emergence of digital television - is creating a demand for much faster, more accurate delivery of year-round, local demographic information - and that is just what our people meter service can deliver," said Dimling.

"For the past year and a half, our marketing executives have been working with the industry, talking to customers, educating them on the people meter technology," continued Dimling. "Our mission has been to digest all this information and to bring a workable plan to the marketplace.

"We are proposing a People Meter service in Boston to serve as a demonstration market for the industry. Customers will be able to evaluate the service concurrently with the existing metered and diary services. Furthermore, depending on sufficient customer support," added Dimling, "Nielsen Media Research is prepared to introduce people meter service into nine additional markets during the next three years."

About Nielsen Media Research

Nielsen Media Research is the leading provider of television audience measurement and related services in the United States and Canada. Its National People Meter Service provides audience estimates for all national program sources, including broadcast networks, cable networks, Spanish language television, and national syndicators. Local ratings services estimate audiences for each of the 210 television markets in the U.S., including electronic metered service in 47 markets. Nielsen Media Research also provides competitive advertising intelligence information through Nielsen Monitor-Plus, and Internet usage and advertising information through Nielsen//NetRatings. Nielsen Media Research is a subsidiary of VNU USA, which is a division of Netherlands-based VNU, one of the world's leading publishing and information companies. Additional information is available at: www.nielsenmedia.com.

FYI...

People Meters in Local Audience Measurement

Since the introduction of the People Meter into the national measurement service more than a decade ago, the industry has grappled with the pros and cons associated with incorporating the People Meter into local measurement. The reality of today's fragmented, highly competitive media environment - compounded by the emergence of digital television - is creating a demand for much faster, more accurate delivery of year-round, local demographic information - and that's just what the People Meter service can deliver.

The Nielsen Media Research People Meter service is a state-of-the-art methodology with a proven record of performance. Based on a single research sample, this electronic service provides clients with year-round, local demographic data with a speed and continuity that is not available from other audience collection tools.

Business Services Industry

Nielsen Media Research to Begin People Meter Measurement in Local Markets; Boston Selected As `Demonstration Market'; Nine Additional Markets Could be Metered in Three Years

Business Wire, Dec 8, 1999

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Business

Most Popular Articles in Business

Most Popular Publications in Business