Media Rating Council Approves Nielsen’s Integration of Streaming Data into TV Ratings
The Media Rating Council, an organization that sets standards for media audience measurement to ensure data accuracy and reliability, has given Nielsen the green light to include data collected directly from streaming services into its national TV ratings. This approval allows Nielsen to combine first-party streaming data with its traditional panel-based ratings, marking a step forward for measuring TV and streaming viewership. Additionally, the council has renewed its accreditation for Nielsen’s national panel ratings.
This endorsement could pave the way for more media companies to adopt Nielsen’s “panel plus big data” measurement for live programming on both traditional TV and streaming platforms, with live sports currently being the primary content. Amazon is the only company using this integrated measurement so far, specifically for Thursday Night Football, a partnership that sparked industry debate when it launched in 2023.
Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We are honored to receive first-party approval from the MRC. This validation reinforces our commitment to innovation that meets market demands while maintaining security and verification.” He added that Nielsen is uniquely positioned to capture the full spectrum of audience behavior across both linear and streaming platforms, providing a comprehensive view of content consumption.
The combined “panel plus big data” figures for recent Thursday Night Football broadcasts showed an approximately 8 percent rise in viewership—nearly a million additional viewers compared to panel-only measurements. Several other media organizations, including NBC and Fox, are reportedly exploring similar integrations and have already begun sharing cross-platform viewership data for major events.
This approval from the Media Rating Council not only strengthens Nielsen’s current offerings but also opens the door for future data integrations from additional streaming services. The MRC’s CEO, George Ivie, acknowledged Nielsen’s efforts, noting, “We commend Nielsen on its renewed accreditation and the progress toward incorporating first-party streaming data into its panel measurement. This milestone reflects Nielsen’s continued dedication to the MRC’s standards and processes.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Share:
The Media Rating Council, an organization that sets standards for media audience measurement to ensure data accuracy and reliability, has given Nielsen the green light to include data collected directly from streaming services into its national TV ratings. This approval allows Nielsen to combine first-party streaming data with its traditional panel-based ratings, marking a step forward for measuring TV and streaming viewership. Additionally, the council has renewed its accreditation for Nielsen’s national panel ratings.
This endorsement could pave the way for more media companies to adopt Nielsen’s “panel plus big data” measurement for live programming on both traditional TV and streaming platforms, with live sports currently being the primary content. Amazon is the only company using this integrated measurement so far, specifically for Thursday Night Football, a partnership that sparked industry debate when it launched in 2023.
Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We are honored to receive first-party approval from the MRC. This validation reinforces our commitment to innovation that meets market demands while maintaining security and verification.” He added that Nielsen is uniquely positioned to capture the full spectrum of audience behavior across both linear and streaming platforms, providing a comprehensive view of content consumption.
The combined “panel plus big data” figures for recent Thursday Night Football broadcasts showed an approximately 8 percent rise in viewership—nearly a million additional viewers compared to panel-only measurements. Several other media organizations, including NBC and Fox, are reportedly exploring similar integrations and have already begun sharing cross-platform viewership data for major events.
This approval from the Media Rating Council not only strengthens Nielsen’s current offerings but also opens the door for future data integrations from additional streaming services. The MRC’s CEO, George Ivie, acknowledged Nielsen’s efforts, noting, “We commend Nielsen on its renewed accreditation and the progress toward incorporating first-party streaming data into its panel measurement. This milestone reflects Nielsen’s continued dedication to the MRC’s standards and processes.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter