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In a series of meetings today co-hosted by Alan Wurtzel, president of research and media development at NBC Universal, and Mediaedge:cia’s Rino Scanzoni, broadcast networks, ad agencies and some cable executives will meet with Nielsen Media Research to discuss how Nielsen will define and measure commercial ratings.
Nielsen will begin issuing the new ratings, which have raised some controversy in the industry, on a test basis as early as Nov. 18, writes MediaPost.
Commercial ratings are being discussed as the possible new currency for the $60 billion TV advertising marketplace, and may be put into place as early as next year’s upfront buying season, but several issues on the table need to be resolved before everyone buys into the new ratings.
Agencies want Nielsen to do away with VCR audience data in the commercial ratings. They also want to discuss whether direct response advertising minutes should be included. According to the article, Nielsen is leaning toward keeping direct response advertising as part of the data, but is open-minded about the VCR discussion. “What are we going to do about it? We’re going to continue thinking on it. We haven’t made a decision on it yet,” Jack Loftus, Nielsen spokesman, is quoted as saying.
Cable networks have different issues they want to discuss, and are reportedly chafing at the fact that not many were invited to today’s summit due to audience size limitations. The cable industry wants three things from Nielsen before it embraces the new measurement: that the process be audited and accredited by the Media Rating Council, that Nielsen release data to both broadcast networks and cable simultaneously, and that the new ratings pass a practicality and usability test.
A representative of the MRC will attend today’s meetings.
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