The end of “real” TV is, um, nigh. Very nigh:
by Anthony Ha
Nielsen is taking a big step in measuring streaming TV today with the addition of Hulu and YouTube TV to its ratings.
Nielsen’s President of Product Leadership Megan Clarken said that the company’s ratings (the best-known measurement of TV viewership) have included some streaming data before, but it was usually when “traditional networks … distributed their content onto digital platforms” — like when CBS launched its streaming service CBS All Access.
“This is the first time the biggest digital-first, TV streaming companies have come into the fold in terms of being included in TV ratings,” Clarken said.
She added that this move reflects how viewership has moved beyond the traditional “TV glass.” It also comes just a few months after Hulu and YouTube launched their live TV services.
More specifically, Clarken said data about Hulu and YouTube TV will be incorporated into Nielsen’s C3/C7 numbers, which are used by TV ad-buyers and reflect viewership during a three- and seven-day time window….