Our measuring technology and devices capture which networks/stations viewers are tuned into on each television set in the home. Our meters and technology can also identify who is watching, as well as when, including time-shifted viewing—the viewing of recorded programming via DVR or video on demand. Nielsen also captures viewing that occurs on other screens, such as mobile, tablet, and computer—delivering to network clients a view of their total audience.
Chosen randomly through proven and rigorous techniques, Nielsen’s TV Families represent a cross-section of representative homes across the country and each local market. And unlike measurement that relies solely on big data sources, our measurement ensures representative coverage across demographics because
our panels (which form the basis for our Nielsen Families) ensure that we capture person-level viewing behavior, not just set top box level viewing. Being able to measure in a way that fairly represents all races, ages, ethnicities and behaviors is crucial for the industry to transact and analyze with confidence.