• by June 21, 2006

Finally, NetRatings says it will extend its Web measurement capabilities to address online audio and video content, along with Internet TV content. Last week's announcement is good news and long overdue.

NetRatings says it will beef up existing Nielsen/NetRatings products and patented technologies in order to properly measure digital media usage and work with Nielsen Media Research to develop integrated measurement services for Internet and television convergence.

The plan, according to NetRatings, is to begin working with clients in the third quarter to measure digital audio and visual content using Nielsen/NetRatings SiteCensus, the company's existing Web analytics tool. The tool will incorporate in-depth demographic and Web usage information from NetRatings' MegaPanel and NetView panelists.

The new NetRatings' meter will capture and report all PC-consumed content, including not only live streams but also downloaded, transferred, and replayed streams. According to Nielsen/NetRatings, more than 23 percent of U.S. Web users are accessing and viewing live streaming video, while 21 percent watched saved video files.

In its announcement last week, NetRatings said it would partner with sibling Nielsen Media Research to work on a single source panel to track and report combined TV, Web, and digital media consumption. The plan calls for Nielsen to install and test software meters, including Nielsen/NetRatings' patented metering technology, on PCs and laptops of People Meter panelists exiting its panels. The testing is underway this summer. And if things go according to plan, a full rollout will come during the 2007/2008 broadcast season.

Prior to the single source panel, the companies plan to offer "fused" data, combining the viewing and Internet usage information from matching respondents in the Nielsen Media Research television and NetRatings Internet panels. The goal of the fused data is to offer a planning tool to optimize integrated TV/Internet campaigns.

"Our clients have made it clear that they want us to measure television and Internet convergence so they can understand how consumers are using these two media," said Susan D. Whiting, president and CEO of Nielsen Media Research, in a statement. The Nielsen developments are good news for advertisers, agencies, and anyone looking to get a more accurate picture of media usage. Hopefully, there won't be too many obstacles in the way of deployment.