• by David Goetzl , March 21, 2006

At a time when advertisers are clamoring for proof that people are watching and are engaged with their TV commercials, a spunky cable network has released new data purporting its viewers are more apt to do that. The Weather Channel, the only media outlet to acknowledge buying so-called minute-by-minute ratings from Nielsen Media Research, has released some the data in preparation for talks with major advertisers and agencies during the 2006-07 upfront buying season. TWC isn't quite prepared to make the numbers the basis of its ratings guarantees with advertisers - something other TV outlets are wary of doing - but it at least is ready to have the conversation.

That's probably because the data shows that in January, its viewers tuned in throughout a commercial break 97 percent of the time. The 97 index covers total-day ratings for the month in the adult 25-to-54 demo, which TWC targets.

"I think most advertisers would feel that a two- to three-point drop-off is very acceptable," said Liz Janneman, senior vice president at TWC.

By contrast, data provided by TWC shows that two networks in its competitive set, Discovery Channel and CNN, had lower retention rates. Discovery's total-day index in the demo was 92, with CNN at 90.

In prime time, two TWC series, "Storm Stories" and "It Could Happen Tomorrow," indexed at 94. Two Discovery series, "Monster Garage" and "American Chopper," came in at 93 and 88, respectively. At CNN, "Larry King Live" was at 90; "Paula Zahn Now" at 88; and "Anderson Cooper 360" at 75.

Janneman said TWC would be open to making deals based on the data, which Nielsen launched last fall, when the industry agrees on a common metric for attaching valuations.

The favorable minute-by-minute performance is one aspect of TWC's push in the upfront to demonstrate that it trumps other networks in advertising effectiveness. Under the double-entendre tagline, "Media's Most Powerful Environment," TWC is advancing the message that ads on its air don't get zapped via DVRs--since its programming doesn't lead to much viewing in time-shifted mode--and generate higher recall, in part because it limits pod length to a minute-and-a-half.

The topic of minute-by-minute data--which potentially could cost networks loads of dollars if it shows significant viewing drop-offs during commercials--generated considerable dialogue at the recent American Association of Advertising Agencies' media conference.

Jean Pool, executive vice president-COO at Universal McCann and chair of the AAAA's Media Policy Committee, called on sellers to make the ratings known or risk appearing as if they are "trying to hide some dirty little secret." "In the end, we want commercial ratings, not program averages," she said.

Only two buyer groups are known to have purchased the data from Nielsen--Starcom MediaVest and ZenithOptimedia.

The issue has divided not only buyers and sellers, but also sellers. While TWC is willing to move toward using the data as a currency, others are more resistant. While speaking to reporters at the conference, Mike Shaw, ABC's president of sales and marketing, said the issue is "a two-way street," and that if advertisers want to employ minute-by-minute ratings, they must bear the burden of creating more compelling ads--including in HD--to prevent viewer exodus during breaks. "They better start coming up with some better creative," he said.