Nielsen and NetRatings Launch National TV/Internet Fusion Database

Merging information from television and Internet panels into a single database, Nielsen Media Research and NetRatings have announced the launch of their National TV/Internet Fusion database.

The service allows television programmers and advertisers to study and capitalize on the relationship between television and Internet use. The new service is the first deliverable being developed through Nielsen's Anytime Anywhere Media Measurement (A2/M2) initiative.

The resource combines Nielsen's National People Meter sample of more than 30,000 respondents with NetRatingsNetView sample, which electronically tracks Internet use of approximately 29,000 panellists from homes and businesses. The fused database uses panellist information, including age, sex, household income, household education and region of country, to link the two databases, thereby providing a comprehensive picture of consumers' TV and online activities.

This month, Nielsen Media Research will begin a test to identify the potential impact of Internet measurement on television panel-quality metrics, installing software meters including NetRatings' patented metering technology on the laptops and personal computers of test homes installed with Nielsen People Meters. The company plans to fully deploy the meters during the 2007-2008 television season, assuming successful test results.

Chief research officer at Nielsen Media Research, Paul Donato, commented "At a time when the importance of the Internet as an advertising vehicle continues to grow and expand with new streaming offerings, it's particularly important to understand the interaction between these two media. The National TV/Internet Fusion database is an advanced multi-platform measurement service that offers advertisers, agencies and media companies an unparalleled view of this expanding relationship; and it represents a critical element in Nielsen's commitment to measure television wherever and however it is viewed."

Mainak Mazumdar, vice president, measurement science for NetRatings, added, "The National TV/Internet Fusion database takes media measurement to a new level. As streaming content becomes ubiquitous on the Internet, the importance of a combined television and internet data set is critical for companies competing for the digital consumer."

The companies are online at www.nielsenmedia.com and www.netratings.com

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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