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Nielsen Highlights Tactics of LPM Critics
Nielsen Media Research has publicised disclosures made by its opponents in the LPM debate, confirming the heavy involvement of News Corp in the Don't Count Us Out campaign. The lobbying firm involved also admitted directing a campaign of calls to Nielsen execs which shut down their corporate switchboard.
The statement from Nielsen Media says:
'The Glover Park Group is admitting for the first time that it created, organized and directed the activities of the Don't Count Us Out organization at the behest of News Corp. Don't Count Us Out has always maintained that it was an independent group of community activists. However, this admission, which is found on Glover Park's own website as a 'case study' to attract more clients, clearly shows that it was always acting to advance the corporate interests of News Corp. and its TV stations, which experienced lower ratings after Nielsen replaced paper diaries with more accurate electronic Local People Meters in major television markets.
'Glover Park Group also admitted directing a campaign to disrupt Nielsen's operations in which 'calls and emails were targeted at Nielsen executives, shutting down their corporate switchboard'.
'Glover Park does not describe what incentives were used to "enlist" members to the Don't Count Us Out coalition. [It] also maintains that the Senate Commerce Committee is considering legislation that would regulate the ratings business when, in fact, no such legislation is pending'.
Nielsen has copied and preserved the text as it first appeared on the lobbyists' site at
www.gloverparkgroup.com , at their own location http://everyonecounts.tv/news/0422_dcuo.htm . The agency's own home page is at www.nielsenmedia.com
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