• March 1, 2005

Signaling a long-term commitment as a Nielsen ratings gadfly, News Corp.-backed pressure group Don't Count Us Out Monday named a full-time executive director and appointed a top Washington lobbyist a senior advisor. Cynthia Jasso-Rotunno, an executive with Washington public affairs firm Issue Dynamics, was named executive director. Minyon Moore was named senior advisor. DCUO said it was focusing its efforts on Philadelphia and Washington, DC, which are the next markets Nielsen plans to rollout its controversial local people meters, and would continue to put pressure on the Federal Trade Commission to resolve its regulatory authority over Nielsen. The moves follow a vote late last week by the Media Rating Council's complete board of directors calling for fundamental reform of the ratings industry, and the MRC's decision to deny Nielsen full accreditation of its LPM services in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.