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MediaBuyerPlanner: Nielsen has announced that it will change its TV ratings process in September in order to show unduplicated average audience ratings for episodes of broadcast network and syndicated shows that air more than once.
The change is being made as part of its efforts to streamline its ratings process, and to "harmonize" the average audience ratings between broadcast network and syndicated shows, writes MediaPost.
Broadcast networks rarely repeat the same episode - ads and all - within the same week as of now. However, Nielsen's move could lead to higher average ratings estimates for the broadcast networks as they begin to adopt various forms of multicasting when the nation converts to digital broadcast spectrum early next year, according to the article.
Syndicated TV often airs a program multiple times within a week to increase gross average audience ratings. This move will not impact those ratings, which will continue to include duplicated viewing (repeat viewing by people living in the same households).
The move does have some cable network executives concerned, with one cable researcher quoted as saying, "The Nielsen announcement is profoundly incomplete and leaves too much to the suspicious imagination."
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