Nielsen Aims To Record Viewers Of TV Programs Outside Home

Nielsen To Begin Releasing Out-Of-Home Viewership Ratings In September

Beginning in September, Nielsen will release “national ratings for TV viewing away from home in places like bars, hotels, gyms and offices,” according to Louise Story of the N.Y. TIMES. Networks like ESPN have “complained for years that out-of-home viewing was not counted and was costing them money” in ad dollars, as sports fans “often watch games in restaurants or bars.” CBS Corp. Chief Research Officer David Poltrack noted that “as much as [20-30%] of people watching major sports events may view them away from their houses.” Story notes Nielsen plans to measure viewership “everywhere it occurs,” whether on TVs, computers, iPods and mobile devices, and the company is working with advertisers like Procter & Gamble to measure “how many people watch programs and ads on television screens in retail stores.” Eventually, Nielsen “plans to introduce ratings that roll viewing on all of these platforms into one comprehensive ranking” (N.Y. TIMES, 4/13).

BOXED OUT: In Minneapolis, Judd Zulgad reports that after saying last week that FSN North’s “sagging ratings” for the Wild, T’Wolves and Univ. of Minnesota men’s hockey were “‘correct,’ and that the numbers would not be adjusted, Nielsen reversed course Monday and acknowledged there is a problem with the system,” as 40% of local Nielsen HHs were not counted. Nielsen Senior VP/Communications Jack Loftus explained that the “problem started in April 2005 when new metering equipment was installed and continued to get worse until it was discovered this week.” Zulgad notes Nielsen “does not have the ability to go back and re-measure ratings” since ’05 (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/13).