In the new TV world that included DVRs ... TV studios, advertisers and agencies have demanded more data that reflects these new realities.
In response, Nielsen has created three new data streams that will bring the total to six that they now offer the various parties of interest.
The three new data streams will be called "live" plus one-day, "live" plus two-days, and "live" plus three days of playback through DVRs. The existing streams of data are "live" only, "live" plus same day, and "live" plus seven days of playback.
In another interesting move, Nielsen has changed the definition of what a television day is from 24-hours to 27 hours. The purpose of that is to enable prime-time programs to be credited with as being watched even if they are watched the next evening.
Even with all of this being done, there's no guarantee that it will be accepted as agencies especially are sure to take up the issue of "live" only audiences during upfront negotiations for 2007-2008.
David Poltrack, the leader of the research team at CBS (CBS), said that there's the possibility that there might eventually emerge a two-tier strategy that has a higher CPM (cost per thousand) for "live" only ratings, and a second, low-priced CPM for the time-shifted audiences.
This is going to be quite a ride as everybody involved has vested interest in the outcome. Nielsen will have additional streams of income as they would charge separately for each stream used by the networks; the networks would gain higher rates from advertisers with more eyeballs being counted; and the agencies need to know that the numbers being offered are confirmed and of the quality that is represented to them.
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