Nielsen “agrees to expand definition of TV viewing”

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that ratings company Nielsen is to roll out a new system to measure broadband, Xbox and, eventually, iPads – redefining the definition of TV.

The company met earlier this week in New York where it agreed a “comprehensive plan to capture all video viewing including broadband and Xbox and iPads,” several sources told the US publication.

The ‘What Nielsen Measures Committee’, a group that has been meeting for nearly a year, is composed of representatives from major US TV networks, local TV stations, cable TV networks, advertising agencies and big brand advertisers.

The Reporter claims the decisions made by the committee are not binding but a source at one of the big four networks was “ecstatic at the prospect of expanded measurement tools.”

US Networks have complained for a number of years that total viewing of their shows isn’t being captured by traditional ratings measurements, however, by September this year, Nielsen expects “to have in place new hardware and software tools in the nearly 23,000 [US] TV homes it samples.”

It is reported that the measurement systems will be able to capture viewership not just from the 75% of US homes that rely on cable, satellite and over-the-air broadcasts but also viewing from services such as Netflix and Amazon, as well as over-the-top systems such as X-Box and PlayStation.

While some use of iPads and other tablets that receive broadband in the home will be included in the first phase of measurement improvements, a second phase is envisioned to include such devices in a more comprehensive fashion, the article claims.

Nielsen is also said to have an internal goal of being able to measure video viewing on an iPad by the end of this year, a process in which the company will work closely with its clients.

Read the full article on The Hollywood Reporter’s website here.