Nielsen Media Research and NetRatings Inc. announced Wednesday the launch of their National TV/Internet Fusion database. This product combines information from television and Internet panels into a single dataset and allows TV programmers and advertisers to study and capitalize on the relationship between TV and Internet use.
The service is the first deliverable being developed through Nielsen’s Anytime Anywhere Media Measurement (A2/M2) initiative.
It combines Nielsen’s National People Meter sample of more than 30,000 respondents with NetRatings’ NetView sample, which electronically tracks Internet use of approximately 29,000 panelists. The fused database uses panelist information, including age, sex, household income, household education and region of country, to link the databases and provide a comprehensive picture of consumers’ TV and online activities.
This month, Nielsen will begin a test to identify the potential impact of Internet measurement on television panel-quality metrics, installing software meters – including NetRatings’ patented metering technology – on the computers of test homes installed with Nielsen People Meters. The company plans to fully deploy the meters during the 2007-2008 TV season, assuming successful test results.
“At a time when the importance of the Internet as an advertising vehicle continues to grow and expand with new streaming offerings, it’s particularly important to understand the interaction between these two media,” said Paul Donato, chief research officer at Nielsen Media Research.
Some of the information to be gathered by the venture include assessment of Internet usage by TV audience, TV viewership by visitors to specific Web sites and the changing patterns of media consumption as more TV programming and other content becomes available online.
NetRatings Inc. www.nielsen-netratings.com
Nielsen Media Research www.nielsenmedia.com
