Nielsen, the prominent media measurement company, is introducing enhanced methods to track television viewership as the new broadcast season approaches. The organization is specifically focusing on measuring “co-viewing,” which refers to instances when multiple people watch the same program together in a single location. This development could benefit television networks and studios by providing credit for content that drives audiences to gather in homes, bars, and other venues.
To accomplish this goal, Nielsen will deploy wearable devices resembling smartwatches on the wrists of its panel participants. These devices will capture audio from television programs, films, and events, enabling more passive and potentially more precise measurement of viewing audiences. According to Nielsen’s leadership, this approach represents a significant step toward delivering more accurate data to media and advertising clients.
The company has already introduced its “Big Data + Panel” product earlier this year, which analyzes audience engagement through cable and satellite set-top boxes and smart televisions across millions of households and devices. Nielsen has collaborated extensively with industry partners to prepare them for these changes and is coordinating updates with the Media Rating Council. Additional improvements include addressing data timing issues and combining census information to better measure audiences for Spanish-language programming.
Originally reported by Variety →
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