MUMBAI: Nielsen Media Research and US media conglomerate News Corp have announced an eight-year agreement under which Nielsen will provide audience measurement services for 49 News Corp. television entities.
The pact consolidates more than 150 individual agreements between the companies. Financial terms were not disclosed.ovie channels.
News Corp executive VP corporate affairs Gary Ginsberg says, “This agreement, which was more than a year in the making, affords us much greater efficiencies and simplicity in our relationship with Nielsen. We are very pleased to put our differences with Nielsen behind us and to usher in a new era of constructive and even deeper relations between our two companies.
“Nielsen’s willingness to take concrete and ongoing steps to ensure that its measurement systems accurately count all viewers was critical to achieving this deal.”
Nielsen Media Research senior VP business strategy Dave Thomas says, “In an era of digital television and multiple delivery platforms, we believe it makes sense for our clients to take an integrated approach for audience measurement.
“News Corp. has long been a valued Nielsen client and we have worked tirelessly for months to craft a landmark agreement ensuring that Nielsen will continue to provide News Corp. with the highest quality measurement services for their many television platforms.”
News Corp entities and affiliates covered under the agreement include Fox, Fox News Channel, FX, Speed, National Geographic Channel, Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports Net, Fox Sports en Espanol, DirecTV, Twentieth Television and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
Nielsen Media Research also will provide News Corp with local television audience estimates for 35 Fox-owned local television stations, including Local People Meter (LPM) service for Fox television stations in markets measured by LPMs.
As part of the agreement, Nielsen is investing approximately $50 million in programs designed to enhance the response rates of participants in its samples, with special emphasis on younger demographics and communities of color.
Nielsen adds that it will continue its successful community outreach programs that include a variety of initiatives that promote broader awareness of the company and its role in the television industry.
