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Nielsen to Complete BuzzMetrics Buy, Merge it with NetRatings
The Nielsen Company is to acquire the remainder of word-of-mouth media tracking agency BuzzMetrics, of which it already owns 58%. While terms of the deal have not been disclosed, market sources estimate its value at more than $100m.
Once the purchase is complete at the end of May, BuzzMetrics will be consolidated with online audience measurement business, NetRatings, which Nielsen is in the final stages of buying. The current divisions of Nielsen BuzzMetrics and Nielsen//NetRatings will be replaced with a single unit, led by BuzzMetrics Executive Chairman Itzhak Fisher.
Fisher will report to Nielsen Chairman and CEO, David Calhoun, who explained: 'By acquiring 100% of these brands, Nielsen can provide our clients with unrivaled understanding of consumer behaviour in this space and the unprecedented insights they need to grow their businesses.'
Nielsen partnered with BuzzMetrics in 2005, and took a majority position in February 2006. The firm has offices in New York, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Israel. Nielsen//NetRatings is based in 18 countries and has a portfolio which includes panel-based and site-centric Internet audience measurement services, online advertising intelligence, user lifestyle and demographic data.
The firms are online at www.nielsen.com , www.nielsenbuzzmetrics.com , and www.nielsen-netratings.com .
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