As Live TV Viewing Declines, How Can Networks Fully Monetize Their Viewers?

New, multiplatform tools could help

For years, NBCUniversal's ratings guru Alan Wurtzel has been criticizing the deficiencies of Nielsen's current ratings system—he says as much as 35 percent of NBC's audience for an average episode isn't measured by Nielsen's C3 and C7 metrics, which don't include most streaming activity, particularly on mobile and tablets—and he's tired of it. "The time for just whining about this is over," said Wurtzel, NBCUniversal's president of research and media development. "We really need to get proactive."

As live TV viewing continues to decline—in the first week of the new TV season, three broadcast networks suffered double-digit drops in adults 18-49 versus a year ago: Fox (20 percent), ABC (19 percent) and NBC (10 percent)—networks and buyers have intensified their pleas for a new metric to accurately measure viewing across all platforms, and their cries are finally being heard.

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

To Read the Full Story Become an Adweek+ Subscriber

View Subscription Options

Already a member? Sign in