Just TV Ratings For Now -- But Zenith Shocks Many As It Drops Nielsen Data In Favor Of Rentrak

Big Change

While only affecting TV at this time, the announcement this morning by ZENITH MEDIA Chief Data Officer ROB JAYSON that the media agency would drop NIELSEN, and begin using RENTRAK’s local TV audience measurement data as “the currency” for its local TV advertising buys, was characterized by JAYSON as “the beginning of a big industry change.”

MEDIAPOST reports, "while a number of big shops have begun licensing RENTRAK and integrating its data into their planning and buying systems -- and presumably their negotiations with TV outlets -- ZENITH is the first to shift from 'a currency' to 'the currency,' meaning it will be using RENTRAK instead of NIELSEN’s local TV ratings data. The move comes as NIELSEN has been scrambling to upgrade and overhaul its local TV measurement systems, including the addition of many more people meter homes beginning this season."

Many in radio have been asking for the same.

JAYSON added, “For the first time in industry history, we are replacing the low-response rate, highly unpredictable surveys and diaries with massive and passive measurement.”

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