U.S. TV homes according to Nielsen:
1) 2017–18–119.6M
2) 2018–19–119.9M (↑ 0.2%)
Software + Data: Media buyers and planners are now faced with a near limitless number of options for where to advertise and who to target. The role of software will only grow as complexity increases.
Going their own way: NBCUniversal has gone so far as to launch their own measurement product. Expect this to continue with other networks.
Flashback #1: Facing pressure from clients, Nielsen says it is changing how it measures television ratings
Simple math. More households w/ streaming TV = more fragmentation in viewership between digital and linear TV = increasing difficulty in measuring total viewership.
Quote from Bob Greenblatt — Chairman @ NBC Entertainment.
“I don’t think the broadcasting narrative should be linear versus digital anymore, but rather linear plus digital,”… “I would love to get to a point where the live, same-day rating was the proverbial dinosaur instead of the broadcast network.”
Estimated impact on ratings when non-live (35 days) of viewing is added:
1) CBS Average — ↑ 53%
2) Big Bang Theory — ↑ 66%
3) Bull — ↑ 57%
Flashback #2: Nielsen Will Give Digital-Ratings Credit for Video Views on Facebook, Hulu, YouTube
More #1: The future of TV is now (or never)
More #2: This just in: TV advertising still works
More #3: Can the TV Industry Finally Embrace Technological Transformation?
