Nielsen and Viacom Agree Measurement Deal

VNU have announced that subsidiary Nielsen Media Research has reached multi-year agreements with divisions of Viacom, Inc. for TV audience measurement services involving all Viacom and CBS television businesses.

The agreements cover 35 Viacom owned-and-operated television stations across 28 markets; CBS and UPN Television Networks; syndicators King World and Paramount; and 12 cable networks BET, CMT, Comedy Channel, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, Noggin, VH1, Showtime, TV Land, SPIKE TV and The Movie Channel.

The agreements will underpin the expansion of Nielsen's National People Meter Sample, whose effective size will nearly double by 2006, to approximately 10,000 homes. They will also assist with Nielsen's previously announced plans to expand its Local People Meter (LPM) service, through 15 Viacom stations in nine of the top ten markets and further Viacom stations in 19 other markets. The LPMs will give station executives access to continuous daily demographic audience estimates.

According to Susan D. Whiting, President and CEO of Nielsen Media Research,'These agreements build on a strong existing foundation between Nielsen and the Viacom television operations, and demonstrate our commitment to constantly improve and innovate our samples in order to ensure that TV remain the best measured of all advertising media'.

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