Nielsen Delays Online Measurement Plan

Nielsen has delayed plans to measure online media usage in a number of its People Meter panel households, to provide time to include both Internet video usage and web site navigation.

Earlier in the year, Nielsen announced it would begin testing Internet measurement in Q4 2008, but this deadline has now been moved to next April.

Nielsen said in a client statement that the delay will enable it to prioritize field resources in preparation for next February's switch to digital TV, and also allow it to maintain a focus on quality initiatives such as improving A/P Meter processes and data delivery operations.

The agency's initial goal is to install People Meters in 375 homes and analyze the results. For new homes to be included in the pilot, field representatives will recruit simultaneously for TV and Internet measurement, although Internet measurement will be optional. Due to privacy concerns, transaction or purchase data will not be collected.

'Cross-platform measurement has been a critical component of Nielsen's Anytime Anywhere Media Measurement (A2/M2) strategy,' the statement read. 'Since A2/M2's inception, we have been working on a suite of services to accomplish this goal, by offering Nielsen TV/Internet Data Fusion and most recently, by launching the Nielsen TV/Internet Convergence Research Panel. Testing Internet measurement in our People Meter panels in April 2009 marks a next step in providing clients with insights on consumer behavior on the Internet and on television.'

Web site: www.nielsen.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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