MediaPost: Nielsen Creates Dual DVR Currency, Will Issue 'Live-Only' And 'Live' Plus 7-Day Ratings

Nielsen announced it will try to satisfy both broadcast sellers and buyers by publishing two types of TV ratings figures in 2005, one that includes digital video recorder playbacks and one that does not. The ratings monopoly firm said it would publish a DVR-free set of figures that would be largely comparable to today's statistics. It will also offer a set of figures that includes shows played back within a week of their first airing.

Broadcasters had requested that same-day playbacks be included in the initial figures, but Nielsen said it will be unable to provide those figures in the next round of upgrades.

The changes signify a sea-change in how television viewing is measured, breaking away from the rigid linear nature of time-based advertising to one much more akin to an impression-based model that has proved more informative to marketers online.

Nielsen has said in the past it will not generally measure which TV ads are watched or skipped, but rather continue measuring which shows are watched. Pressure continues to build from ad agencies and marketers to provide commercial-level resolution, as Nielsen as easy access to this data.