Nielsen Expanding Local-market Sample Sizes

[dfergie]

The TV ratings giant said today that it will boost the sample size in 15 of its Local People Meter markets, including LA and NYC. Nielsen said its goal is to “increase the stability of the ratings and add utility for customers by improving representation for hard-to-reach demographics.” Starting this year, the company will increase its LA and NYC sample by 300 homes and by 200 in Dallas, Washington, D.C., Houston, Miami and Denver. Next year, it will expand sampling by 200 homes each in Charlotte, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, and Phoenix.

deadline.com

 

[mike123abc]

With the digital set top boxes and DVRs you would think it would be easy for them to generate a big sample size.

 

[Don in CT]

With the digital set top boxes and DVRs you would think it would be easy for them to generate a big sample size.

2 reasons they won't. 1, it will show advertisers how inflated the numbers have been for decades, something the networks don't want. 2, is that even legal? Are they allowed to randomly ping a viewers habits. I was told that they can't do it legally.

 

[mike123abc]

2 reasons they won't. 1, it will show advertisers how inflated the numbers have been for decades, something the networks don't want. 2, is that even legal? Are they allowed to randomly ping a viewers habits. I was told that they can't do it legally.

I know Dish has said they get all the viewing habits of their DVRs sent in via phone/internet, Dish knows what is watched and when. I can assume the other DVR providers have the same features.

 

[Teehar]

Really see no issue there.Anything streamed via netflix and all the others,automatically tells them what we watch.

 

[Don in CT]

I know Dish has said they get all the viewing habits of their DVRs sent in via phone/internet, Dish knows what is watched and when. I can assume the other DVR providers have the same features.

Im sure they can do it, but are there privacy issues in publishing it. The networks don't want it because that will give them accurate numbers. Takes away the leverage they have on advertisers if they know exactly who is watching what.