• April 30, 2007

Nielsen last week said it will begin reporting TV universe estimates for high definition TV in November for both its national and local people meter services. Nielsen said it currently is working with clients to develop a standard definition for what constitutes a high definition, or HDTV household and has narrowed it to two working definitions: "HD capable home," a household equipped with a high definition television and a high definition tuner capable of receiving signals in HDTV; and "HD receivable home," a home that is equipped with a high definition television and high definition tuner and receives at least one exclusively HDTV network or station.

Nielsen also said that in January 2008 an internal classification process of HDTV homes will be completed, enabling Nielsen to report HDTV universe estimates in all area probability "set meter" markets by the February 2008 survey, and that Nielsen is continuing to explore options for reporting HDTV universe estimates in its telephone frame meter and diary-only markets.