• by David Goetzl , December 13, 2007

HBO and Nielsen have reached a deal in which the measurement company will provide the leading pay network with ratings for its VOD programming. HBO is the first network to have access to the usage data for its video-on-demand fare, Nielsen said.

Nielsen will track the HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand offerings, and provide ratings for various programs broken down by demos. The data could help HBO decide how to adjust its on-demand offerings going forward. The network looks to boost revenues by persuading more people to upgrade and subscribe.

While HBO does not accept advertising, the Nielsen service could eventually have an impact on other networks opting to receive the data. Armed with ratings for VOD programs and any pre-roll or other messages that run in them, networks may be able to ramp up sales.

"Technology has changed the way people watch television, and as our customers increasingly use our On Demand products to watch our shows on a timetable of their choosing, it is essential that we understand this growing shift in viewer behavior," said Jan Pasquale, senior vice president of research at HBO.

"The knowledge gained from this service will enable us to drive additional consumer satisfaction by understanding the appeal of our programming to specific audiences," he added, "and develop targeted offerings for the full range of our customer base."

Nielsen says some 35 million homes receive VOD offerings.

"Clients told us that VOD is a vital part of their business and Nielsen responded with a service that allows them to measure, analyze and understand audience preferences," said Sara Erichson, executive vice president of Client Services at Nielsen.