Wednesday, March 19, 2008

TV Ratings Should Include Internet

With more and more people watching their favorite shows online (and nearly all shows now being streamed), the folks at Nielsen should start combining the ratings into a single audience.

This will enable the networks to sell across platforms and give credibility to Internet viewers. The Internet data is more valid because unlike Nielsen's survey of a small fraction of households, this is actual shows watched, and they can track if people watched the entire show including the ads.

The networks are gradually getting over their air of superiority in selling TV ads and realizing that the growth will be online. Instead of discounting the web audience, the should embrace it because the demographics skew younger and more affluent -- exactly what they want to sell to advertisers.

A view of Lost online on Friday morning is just as valuable as a prime time view. Legitimizing the online audience will also enable the networks to more easily sell related "web only" content such as behind the scenes video and actor interviews.

Via MediaPost

By John Gartner at 09:33 AM | Comments (0)

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