Nielsen People Meters in Top Ten US TV Markets

With strong backing from key broadcasting and cable clients, Nielsen Media Research has recently announced a rollout schedule for bringing continuous, overnight demographic ratings into the top 10 television markets in the U.S. Nielsen will initially launch electronic People Meter ratings service in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and San Francisco next year.

People Meter service will be expanded to include Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Detroit and Dallas-Ft. Worth in 2005, and Atlanta the following year.

The Nielsen People Meter will replace the current meter-diary measurement system in the top 10 markets. This is expected to have a major impact on every aspect of the television business. Local People Meters will enable media executives to buy and sell commercial time and make programming, scheduling and promotional decisions continuously, instead of waiting for sweeps months for the demographic ratings.

The top 10 television markets include nearly 32 million TV households, or 30 percent of all U.S. television households. More than $8 billion is spent just on local television advertising in the top 10 markets.

At the same time, Nielsen Media Research intends to nearly double the size of the National People Meter Sample over the next four years. The National People Meter Sample produces the ratings that are the currency for all broadcast and cable networks and national syndication sales.

'These initiatives reflect Nielsen Media Research's commitment to its clients that the television industry will always be the best measured medium of audience delivery,' said Susan D. Whiting, President and Chief Executive Officer for Nielsen Media Research. 'In addition to our clients in Boston, where the first local People Meter service was introduced last year, we are delighted that the ABC Stations, NBC, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Adlink have agreed to support the expansion of continuous demographic ratings services into the major local markets. We are convinced that our People Meter service will have a very positive impact on the economy of these television markets.'

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

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