Em Nielson.com (recuperado em dezembro de 2012):
How We Do It
Panels
Electronic metering technology is at the heart of the Nielsen ratings process. Our tools capture not only what channel is being watched, but also who is watching and when, including “time-shifted” viewing.
Nielsen’s TV families represent a cross-section of representative homes throughout the U.S. Their viewing is measured by our TV meters and Local People Meters which capture information on what’s being viewed and when and, in the major U.S. markets, specifically who and how many are watching. Additionally, we collect more than two million paper diaries from across the country each year during “sweeps.”
Census
Using data from set top boxes, Nielsen delivers a constant, real-time stream of information, revealing tuning behavior during programs and commercials. We can tell clients which commercials are being watched and which have the strongest engagement and impact. We even analyze which position in the program or commercial block is most effective for a specific brand.
Cross Platform Measurement
We measure national TV viewing using Nielsen's People meter technology to electronically capture all viewing from our nationally projectable sample of panelists.
Nielsen representative panels of Internet users provide browsing and streaming metrics for online users. Using census-based measurement, we provide in-depth tracking and analysis of site performance as well as information about audience consumption of, and engagement with, streaming media.
And for mobile media, we are pursuing on-device meter panels to record every interaction users have with measurable mobile devices, which complement our robust survey data.
Finally, through single-source panels along with modeled databases, we measure how consumers engage with multiple media platforms.
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