Nielsen Prepares for Digital TV Switch

Nielsen Media Research has sent clients a 9-page letter explaining its plans for the transition to digital-only TV broadcasting, which comes into effect in February 2009. To accommodate the transition and avoid potential disruptions, the firm will be moving its February 2009 TV viewing 'sweeps' to March.

Sweeps are month-long periods during which TV viewing and demographic information is measured to determine the costs of advertising. Broadcasters fear that when the digital TV (DTV) transition occurs, millions of people could be left without access to their favorite shows, which would skew audience data. In February, Nielsen findings suggested that 10.1% of US TV households would have no access to signals if there were to be an immediate transition; and that around 16.8% of all households had at least one analogue television that would stop working.

As regards its own panellists, Nielsen is assuring clients that 'most' of those in its audience ratings sample without the right equipment at present will be taking steps to change before the switchover. At present, 11.3% of the TV sets in the panels are 'unready' for digital, so Nielsen is prodding them either to change to new sets with digital tuners or to subscribe to cable so their analog signals can be converted.

In addition, field staff will be making visits to sample households to hook up meters to any new equipment that is purchased.

'Over the next few months, our statistical research department will be reviewing all unready scenarios and potential household actions to determine whether any related changes to our existing editing rules might be warranted on a temporary basis,' Nielsen said in the client memo.

From August, the firm's Data Distributor Management department will be communicating with local stations regarding their transition plans. Nielsen also intends to select a sample of stations that have made the DTV conversion in December to find out if their signals are adequate for auditing and measuring.

Web site: www.nielsenmedia.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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