• Ad Age, Thursday, February 16, 2006 10:46 AM

When Nielsen begins reporting on college-campus TV viewing next year, some shows can expect a welcome ratings boost, says Ad Age reporter Claire Atkinson.  It's believed throughout the industry that “The O.C.,” for example, will see its national numbers leap when the new samples are reported. Same too for ABC's “Grey's Anatomy” and, no surprise, college football. Patricia McDonough, senior vice president-planning, policy and analysis at Nielsen, who helped conduct a study of college-student TV viewing, told Ad Age, "To me, the most surprising fact was that [the students] watch as much TV as any other 18- to 24-year-old." Sampling viewing on college campuses will add another level of complexity for media planners and agencies. "Agencies admit they are on the verge of drowning under a flood of research," reports Ad Age, and the advent of DVRs--not to mention the upcoming launch of The CW television network, which will target young demos--is likely only to make life more challenging for everyone who includes the results of Nielsen research in their media planning.

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