Nielsen Debuts Local ‘Live Plus Same Day' Ratings in January

New data stream for LPM and set meter markets

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/9/2009 11:50:22 AM

Nielsen will unveil its Live + Same Day ratings in January in an effort to best represent viewing in the age of the DVR. The ratings giant solicited client feedback in September, and has planned the new ratings as a response to its customers' concerns about measuring viewership in the DVR era. Research showed that a large chunk of DVR playback occurred within an hour of the live airing.

The new data stream will appear in the overnights in Local People Meter (LPM) and Set Meter markets and will take the place of Live Only, though Live Only will still be made available to Nielsen clients. The Live + Same Day stream will also be added in LPM and Set Meter markets in the TVS and electronic data files, Nielsen told clients in a letter today. In LPM markets this will replace the Live Only data stream that's currently produced. In Set Meter markets, Live + Same Day ratings will be additive, as a Live Only data stream is currently not available.

Nielsen told clients the new plan "represents the best solution for addressing most clients' needs."