As we enter the digital age, data is king. Without an adequate idea of what budgetary spend is bringing in return, no one can operate- be it content creators, streaming platforms, or advertisers. For decades, Nielsen has stood as the epitome of viewership data, but it is finding itself more and more hopelessly out-of-date. Enough so that it has even had its accreditation suspended. Yet, is there any viable alternative? Entertainment attorney Brandon Blake unpacks this critical conundrum for us.
Nielsen’s loss of accreditation would have been disastrous for them- if any alternative existed. Yet there isn’t. Of course, people threatening to leave Nielsen is hardly new, either- but for once, we’re seeing ongoing and sustained pressure, not a spat here and there. This is a new era, and it well could have been a move to a new service, if there wasn’t a notable gap in the market.
The main complaints against Nielsen are that they have underreported figures, and that the overall standards, size, and quality of their data has slipped. Big names, from Disney to ViacomCBS, have been quick to pile on the criticism in the wake of the accreditation loss.
On the practical side, however, nothing has changed. Nielsen will continue to gather and distribute data even past the September 20th loss of accreditation. We’ve seen no big names actually drop them, and no competitor has arisen to grasp at their legacy. Yet the overall marketplace, especially for ad-driven services, will demand better as time passes- a non-standardized solution will not do it.
Will Nielsen fall out of favor, and who will take over, or will they manage to claw their way out of another loss of trust? Proprietary measurement tools like the ones Netflix is using could have a market, but that secretive atmosphere is unlikely to cut it for ad-based businesses, who will want new and transparent standards and a common measurement tool.
For now, hoping Nielsen can mend its ways may be the best way forward. But without major reform, it shouldn’t simply assume the industry will wait on it forever. All it needs is one viable competitor, and the marketplace is wide open for one right now. It remains to be seen what will happen from here.
Film and Television 