More than a year after Nielsen informed the Media Rating Council (MRC) of plans to begin integrating
"first-party data" from some of its streaming-service clients into its national TV audience measurement services, its process has been accredited by the MRC.
"We're thrilled and humbled to
earn first-party approval from the MRC," Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao said in a statement announcing the milestone late Thursday.
Specifically, Nielsen said the MRC has approved the
integration of first-party live streaming data into Nielsen’s accredited National TV service and renewed accreditation for Nielsen’s national panel measurement, calling it a
"vote of confidence in Nielsen’s first-party data integration."
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To date, Nielsen has made it known that it has been utilizing the technique with client Amazon Prime as part of its
national TV audience estimates for its coverage of NFL "Thursday Night Football," but the accreditation is likely to open the floodgates for the inclusion of first-party data from other big,
ad-supported streamers.
Nielsen currently is in talks with multiple other clients about other first-party data integrations, according to sources familiar with the status.
What does
this mean in practical terms for media planners and buyers? Probably, more stable and representative audience figures, but like most Nielsen currency data these days, it will be a composite of many
different inputs, factors, weights and edit rules.
Bottom line: It's an MRC-accredited currency now.