Amazon, Nielsen Partner to Track Platform’s NFL Event Views
By Movieguide® Contributor
Amazon and Nielsen plan to create their own technology to tabulate views for Prime Video’s NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, as other networks claim this is an unfair change.
Nielsen calculates how many views a given program receives. However, the company has incorrectly measured views in the past, as Variety reported about Fox’s 2022 Super Bowl numbers.
Amazon and Nielsen’s new scheme comes after “the two sides clashed over two different accountings of streams of last season’s THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL,” Variety reported.
“Nielsen’s tabulation, long based primarily on the reactions it gleans from viewer panels, discovered an audience that was 18% smaller than the one Amazon found using its understanding of how many devices were streaming its Thursday night feed. The two have worked together to reconcile their work,” Variety added.
While the new agreement benefits Amazon, other networks believe it sets an unfair precedent.
“A fair and accurate audience measurement across all platforms, as you know, is absolutely vital to our industry,” CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said. “Anything that is not impartial and unbiased is unacceptable to us. I must say that we think it’s extremely odd and unfortunate that different rules are suddenly applying to one platform. I’ll leave it at that statement.”
A trade group that represents U.S. TV networks sent a letter to Nielsen requiring that it discontinue its work with Amazon, Variety reported.
“We see Nielsen’s articulated NFL plans for Amazon…as Nielsen clearly forcing changes into a highly valued, highly visible, ultra-competitive multi-billion-dollar sports content arena,” VAB CEO Sean Cunningham wrote.
These “changes…will greatly benefit one Nielsen client (Amazon) while negatively impacting multiple Nielsen clients (all remainder NFL programmers, distributors & ad sellers,” Cunningham continued.
Nielsen responded, “While Amazon is the first integration partner, we have been in active discussions with many of our clients for years about incorporating their first party data for more accurate measurement of audiences across all live program types.”
“We look forward to bringing more such integrations into our measurement in the near future. We have been engaging clients, including VAB members, on the concept of integrating first party data for live streaming since as early as 2021,” it concluded.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
