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More People Meter Trials
Nielsen Media Research's tribulations with the launch of its Local People Meter are continuing. In the same week that NMR announced a high profile task force to ensure fairness, a leading Spanish-language media company has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop its 'false and misleading' advertising and the use of data based on 'flawed sampling'.
The suit, filed by Univision Communications Inc. in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, addresses the planned implementation of NMR's Local People Meter (LPM) television rating service in Los Angeles on July 8. Univision seeks specifically:- 'to enjoin Nielsen from engaging in unfair, unlawful and deceptive business practices by launching its LPM service in Los Angeles utilizing flawed sampling and weighting methodologies
- to enjoin Nielsen's false and misleading advertising with respect to its LPM data, and
- damages for trade libel.
Univision claims LPM ratings will materially understate viewing to Spanish-language stations and exaggerate viewing to English-language stations, causing it irreparable damage.
A statement from Ceril Shagrin, Senior Vice President, Corporate Research, Univision Communications Inc., says that 'While we are fully supportive of appropriate use of the LPM technology, the sample on which Nielsen's LPM ratings are based does not accurately represent the composition of the Hispanic-American population. As a result, the LPM data will not only provide false guidance to advertisers and marketers, it will mask the market's diversity and jeopardize the future availability of news and entertainment programming dedicated to minority audiences. It is imperative that Nielsen take responsibility for fairness and accuracy of its methodologies and take immediate action to repair its LPM sample before implementation so that our industry is not forced to rely on substandard, inaccurate ratings information'.
Nielsen has been busily refuting similar allegations and reinforcing/underlining its commitment to fair measurement of minority audiences since criticisms by NewsCorp in March. Last week it announced that it has appointed eleven prominent community leaders and television industry executives from across the nation to serve on an independent Task Force on Television Measurement. The Task Force will be chaired by former Illinois Congresswoman Cardiss Collins and includes:- Bob Barocci, President/CEO of The Advertising Research Foundation
- Melody Spann-Cooper, President and General Manager of WVON-AM, Chicago
- Rev. James L. Deemus III, Executive Director of the NAACP Chicago (Southside)
- Ray Durazo, Chair of the Latin Business Association in Los Angeles
- Mary Gonzales Koenig, President of the Spanish Coalition for Jobs, Inc.
- Scott McDonald, Senior Vice President for Market Research at Condé Nast Publications
- Byron E. Lewis, co-Chair and CEO of UniWorld Group
- Guillermo Linares, former member of the New York City Council
- Manuel Mirabal, President of the National Puerto-Rican Coalition, Inc.
- Elinor Tatum, Publisher of The Amsterdam News.
NMR says the Task Force members represent a broad spectrum of well-respected leaders in community affairs, government relations and the business of the media.
Web sites are at www.univision.net and www.nielsenmedia.com
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