Comcast Embraces New Nielsen VOD Measurement Service
Neilsen to Gather, Analyze Live Set Top Box Data
By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 1/24/2008 7:57:00 AM
Nielsen has commercially launched a new measurement service that aggregates and anonymously reports on video-on-demand usage based on real-time data from set-tops, with Comcast as its first customer, officials said Thursday.
NORA, Nielsen On Demand Reporting & Analytics, is part of the Nielsen DigitalPlus service and will also provide integrated data sets from other measurement services from across Nielsen, including Nielsen EDI and Nielsen VideoScan.
The new NORA offering complements Nielsen’s existing panel-based National People Meter VOD Audience Measurement service.
At launch Comcast, the nation’s biggest cable operator, will be providing VOD data for the NORA service, covering Jan. 1 to the present. Comcast will also begin using the NORA service immediately to analyze trends in VOD usage based on a number of factors, including programmer, program distributor, program category (for example, if the program is available at no charge, is part of a premium service or is a title customers pay for individually) and the box-office revenue.
“On Demand usage is skyrocketing with more than 275 million programs viewed monthly on Comcast alone,” Derek Harrar, senior vice president and general manager of video products for Comcast, said in a prepared statement. “Our work with Nielsen will help us better understand what our customers like to watch, which is an important part of our commitment to providing the best viewing experience possible.”
By providing set top box-level data on actual VOD selections, NORA is aiming to enable Nielsen clients to interpret VOD viewing trends as well as analyze the impact of VOD usage. Nielsen is also developing the integration of additional data sets into NORA, such as those from Nielsen Media Research, Claritas, ACNielsen Homescan and Nielsen Online.
“Nielsen is very pleased to build on the success of our trial work over the past year with the commercial launch of NORA,” Holly Leff-Pressman, Nielsen’s senior vice president of On Demand and Television Practice, said in a prepared statement. “Between our new transactional measurement service for VOD and our National People Meter VOD service, Nielsen is well-equipped to help our clients make the most informed business decisions regarding the on-demand distribution platform.”
