Why This Update Will Make Nielsen Data Even More Accurate
By Movieguide® Contributor
Nielsen will shake up its data collection methodology after the company received approval to incorporate first-party data with its third-party panel.
The Media Ratings Council (MRC) approved the update which will allow Nielsen to incorporate its live streaming data. Prime Video’s THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL has been the first program to use first-party data and has seen a rise in reported viewership of just under one million (8%).
“We’re thrilled and humbled to earn first-party approval from the MRC. It’s a great affirmation of Nielsen’s ability to innovate at the speed of the market, while doing so in a safe and verified way,” said Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao. “With time-tested methodologies like our accredited persons panel and precise new solutions for the streaming era, we believe Nielsen is right where the industry needs us to be — at the convergence of all the ways people watch content. This will give the industry a true view of linear and streaming viewing like never before.”
“We congratulate Nielsen on the renewal of accreditation of its National Television Panel Measurement and on receiving approval to integrate its first-party streaming data into the panel measurement,” added George Ivie, CEO and Executive Director of the MRC. “This was a significant effort and we appreciate Nielsen’s ongoing commitment to the MRC accreditation process.”
Before this update, Nielsen’s system worked by surveying a representative portion of the population to discern viewership numbers. This method, however, was falling behind, causing some networks to look for its numbers in other places. By incorporating first-party data, streamers with the capability to track their own viewership numbers can now provide fully accurate data.
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While Nielsen’s ability to track streamers has greatly improved in recent years, many in the industry still felt its methods were missing some level of viewership. For this reason, the NFL, for example, started calling for the inclusion of first-party data last year.
“The big debate around all of this is how do you continue to enhance their traditional panel-based approach,” Paul Ballew, the NFL’s chief data and analytics officer told Variety in August 2023. “We have advocated for the usage of first-party data, not just from Amazon but from everybody [who has rights to show football games].”
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