CBS to Include Digital Viewing in Nielsen Ratings

CBS said it will be including digital SVOD viewing and live streaming in TV ratings from Nielsen.

The move comes as Nielsen faces new challenges in multiplatform management from the proposed combination of comScore and Rentrak.

CBS is the first broadcast network to include digital audience measurement in their television ratings by incorporating Nielsen's SDK metering technology into the CBS All Access experience within the Network's mobile apps and online video player.

"CBS's world-class content is being consumed across multiple platforms and devices," said Marc DeBevoise, executive VP and GM of CBS Digital Media. "From day one, we made it a priority for CBS All Access to provide the most sophisticated measurement capabilities and have been working closely with Nielsen to implement Digital in TV Ratings. We look forward to working closely with Nielsen to further expand measurement across even more platforms in the near future."

Nielsen's Total Audience framework enables clients to monetize digital audiences through both linear and dynamic ad models.

"Nielsen's mobile and computer ratings reinforce our commitment to provide comprehensive Total Audience measurement, measuring audiences anywhere and on any platform they are using to watch content," said Peter Bradbury, managing director of national client service, Nielsen. "We are very excited about the advancements we've made in TV audience ratings by including digital in order to understand viewing beyond traditional television, and we will continue to work very closely with CBS as they expand their digital measurement strategy."

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.