Nielsen gets access to Comcast's set-top box viewing data

Nielsen And Comcast Agree To Incorporate Set-Top Box Viewing Data Into Local TV Measurement

NEW YORK — Today, Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) announced an agreement to use Comcast’s (Nasdaq: CMCSA) set-top box data in its local television measurement service. With this agreement, Comcast becomes the fourth major cable or satellite provider whose non-personally identifiable TV viewing data is being integrated with Nielsen’s comprehensive panel data. The incorporation of data from cable and satellite boxes into its local measurement will allow Nielsen to evolve the Local TV currency ratings landscape, deliver all-inclusive metrics of local audiences and viewing trends, and transform how local media is bought and sold.

“Our enhanced Local TV measurement strategy combines the best elements from Nielsen’s high-quality panels with set-top box data from Comcast and other providers in an anonymous way,” said Megan Clarken, Global President of Watch at Nielsen. “We are continuously innovating our local measurement solutions and leveraging all data sources to deliver a comprehensive service that offers true local market insights and showcases the power of local television. We are pleased to add Comcast to our list of local set-top box data providers.”

“Comcast is committed to enabling more effective and efficient television measurement for the benefit of the entire industry,” said Marcien Jenckes, President, Advertising, Comcast Cable. “This agreement with Nielsen underscores the importance of local television measurement and will have a positive impact on the quality of local ratings.”

In 2018, Nielsen will begin to incorporate anonymized data from Comcast homes along with set-top box data from other providers and Nielsen’s local meters into local TV ratings. The data will be used to report audience viewing trends on an aggregated basis.

The agreement with Comcast further reinforces Nielsen’s commitment to providing the industry with a comprehensive picture of local viewership statistics and trends. By leveraging its relationships with companies such as Comcast, Nielsen continues to enhance and augment its measurement capabilities, further strengthening the currency used by the Local TV industry to transact billions of advertising dollars across 210 markets today.