The Media Rating Council (MRC) has released a statement indicating that, in its opinion, the Total Usage of Television (TUT) by Persons 18-49 was understated by approximately 2 to 6 percent for the February 2021 measurement period by Nielsen.
The finding, MRC says, is based on Nielsen’s analyses of the potential impacts of the changes to its panel procedures.
In addition, MRC believes that Persons Using Television (PUT) estimates among the Persons 18-49 group was understated by a range of 1 to 5 percent in February 2021.
The MRC statement’s late Monday release (5/10) came after its Television Committee met with Nielsen management to review the results of a series of analyses Nielsen conducted in response to requests from MRC and its members.
The analyses were designed to determine the impact (if any) to national television viewing estimates that may have resulted from certain changes made to Nielsen panel-related procedures because of COVID-related matters.
These changes included adjustments to Nielsen’s standard meter maintenance procedures, a curtailment of the recruitment of new panel homes, and extending the time limits at which panelists are forced to turnover from participation in the panels.
Nielsen’s analyses indicated that 93% of simulated Persons 18-49 C3 program ratings
estimates for February were within +/- .02 points of the estimates originally reported.
While certain programs showed no change in their rating, and some even had lower ratings in the simulated results, MRC believes these may have been partly a function of the analytical approach used, where homes were removed for the purpose of the simulation, resulting in greater variability, as well as the fact that the analyses were conducted prior to the completion of maintenance procedures for all suspect panel homes.
In short, MRC believes changes to program estimates are “largely one-directional,” and that there was some degree of understatement overall in the C3 Persons 18-49 estimates that were originally reported by Nielsen in the February 2021 period.
While the MRC MRC also notes, “and users of the data should keep in mind,” that this range of impact, as well as the originally reported ratings themselves, are estimates with standard errors associated with them, “we believe the directional impact noted above is appropriate to consider in assessing the estimates originally reported by Nielsen.”
It is difficult to estimate the impact, if any, to reported estimates that may have been attributable to the changes in panel recruitment and turnover processes, the MRC says.
What are some of the next steps?
The MRC plans to continue to work with Nielsen and its members to further analyze the impact that panel disruptions may have had on the viewing estimates Nielsen reported over the affected period. These efforts will include investigating any impacts to Nielsen’s reporting in local markets, as well as further exploration of the role that certain zero-tuning households may have played in reported viewing estimates. Beyond the general numerical ranges that are noted in this statement, customers are encouraged to seek further detailed information on possible impacts from Nielsen, and how these may relate to their specific audiences.
The MRC also plans to continue to work with Nielsen in its ongoing audit and accreditation process for the National Television service as Nielsen more fully returns to a pre-COVID, business-as- usual state in regard to its field visitation practices and the systems it uses to detect potential metering and other issues that could negatively affect its ability to collect full and accurate viewing data from its panel homes.
To view the MRC’s entire statement in full, please click here:
051021 MRC Industry Communication on Nielsen Natl_Final
