Networks are Gaming Nielsen
According to the NY Times, ABC’s “Good Morning America” ran under an alias during the last week of 2011:
But as far as Nielsen ratings were concerned, four of the shows that week weren’t “Good Morning America” at all. They were labeled “special” programming by ABC, which told Nielsen that it would be called “Good Morning Amer.”
ABC made the switch so that the final week of the year — typically the lowest rated of the year because of the holidays — would be ignored in the national ratings. The change allowed the network to claim — and it did — that “Good Morning America” finished the year closer to NBC’s “Today” show than it had in 16 years.
One might be inclined to point to this as an indicator of TV’s decline or weakness. TV is still strong, but that ratings system that governs it and 70% of advertising dollars is on it’s last legs. Other data sources are faster, have larger populations, and are more accurate by almost any measure. Nielsen hangs on because it’s the currency, the short hard that’s agreed upon by all parties. But the networks and buyers are embracing better data on the sly, trying to gain an edge during negotiations based on Nielsen. Once we realize everyone has already embraced the new sources, once they’re out in the open, Nielsen will rapidly lose their clout.
ABC’s exploitation of Nielsen reliance is very similar to the games financial institutions played with Moody’s and other rating agencies. And we all know how that turned out.
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