Verifies that CNN All Screen Fusion Methodology Aligns with MRC Guidelines for Data IntegrationMRC Shares Report on its First-Ever Evaluation of a Fusion Product
New York, NY – Jan. 12, 2015 – Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Nielsen today announced that the Media Rating Council (MRC) has completed an evaluation of Nielsen’s data fusion process that powers the in-home and out-of-home television portion of CNN All Screen, and that the MRC verified that the data fusion process aligns with the MRC Guidelines for Data Integration. CNN All Screen is a custom data integration executed by Nielsen for Turner Broadcasting.
The evaluation process conducted by the MRC included three distinct phases. First, the MRC’s independent CPAs tested various aspects of the fusion to ensure it was executed as described by Nielsen and that appropriate evidence of this work was retained. For the second phase, the CPAs also summarized certain fusion validation results derived by Nielsen for the MRC’s consideration. The third phase was a review of this material by the MRC to ensure the fusion and validation work contained the required components of the MRC’s Guidelines for Data Integration. This was an evaluation by the MRC of the fusion structure itself, using the CPA work as input, for appropriateness. The MRC and Nielsen continue to discuss the fusion process and potential steps that could improve the process, and the MRC has noted that the existing fusion process powering the television aspects of CNN All Screen contains the required components of the MRC’s Guidelines for Data Integration. The MRC’s statement on this evaluation can be read here.
Nielsen and Turner Broadcasting have partnered in recent years to better provide CNN with tools to properly report to advertisers and agencies the full scope of its audience, through a product called CNN All Screen. One important component of CNN All Screen allows CNN Ad Sales to demonstrate the scale of out-of-home linear television viewership, relative to traditional in-home viewing, fusing Nielsen’s National People Meter panel and local Portable People Meter (PPM) panels. CNN has found that out-of-home viewing contributes an incremental 18% on a total day A25-54 basis.
“Today’s announcement by MRC is an important step to assist Nielsen as we seek to develop a standardized approach and syndicated product to report viewers away from home viewing traditional linear television,” said Megan Clarken, Global Watch Product Leadership, Nielsen. “We are excited to continue our work with CNN to help them monetize their audience and to measure consumers all day, every day and everywhere.”
“CNN All Screen is a vital tool for our sales team to utilize when showcasing to agencies and brands the full scope of their schedules across the linear network, now including our significant and valuable out-of-home audience,” said Katrina Cukaj, Executive Vice President of CNN/HLN Ad Sales. “We already experienced strong demand for this type of scaled partnership during the Upfront and look forward to continuing that conversation with additional partners.”
“Today’s announcement validates that the methodology for capturing our CNN out-of-home viewing aligns with the guidelines the MRC has developed for such fusion/integration approaches,” adds Howard Shimmel, Chief Research Officer, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “We look forward to using the MRC’s evaluation to implement changes to improve All Screen, and to Nielsen’s efforts to build upon this methodology and create a syndicated service that includes all out-of-home viewership in national television measurement.”
In order to create the All Screen Report, Nielsen’s data fusion technology combines National People Meter (NPM) information with viewing captured away from the home by the Portable People Meter (PPM) panel, along with online and mobile panels. The result is a 360-degree view of how consumers watch across all devices.
About Nielsen
Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence and mobile measurement. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA, and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.
About Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; kids and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
CONTACTS:
Nielsen: Jon Miller, (410) 794-2665, jon.miller@nielsen.comTurner Broadcasting System, Inc: Jenn Toner, (212) 275-6642, jenn.toner@turner.com
*The MRC’s evaluation does not represent a full-scope MRC accreditation audit, and when completed this evaluation process was not designed to lead to MRC accreditation. Turner Broadcasting System, Nielsen and the MRC are collaborating to explore the extent to which validation of fusion methods can be attained and set precedence for increased transparency of fusion products in general.
