Radio diary ratings from Nielsen have seen their accreditation put on hiatus by the Media Rating Council (MRC).
What We Know: In a letter to subscribers obtained by Barrett Media, the company shared that its accreditation would be on hiatus until December 23rd.
What They Said: “For decades, you’ve relied on Nielsen to provide the trusted data you need to run your business with confidence. As we look toward the future, we are committed to ensuring our measurement solutions evolve to better fit with the modern needs and communication preferences of survey respondents … Your day-to-day ability to transact on Nielsen currency remains completely unchanged, and this hiatus has no impact on our PPM services for Audio or TV. This pause simply gives us the necessary capacity to accelerate a transformation of the Diary service, ensuring it remains an effective and sustainable solution for years to come.” -Nielsen letter to customers
What Remains Unclear: What led to the decision to put the ratings on hiatus by the MRC. It is also unclear what Nielsen will need to do to regain its accreditation with the council.
What It Means: The announcement is certainly a blow to Nielsen’s diary markets. While the hiatus doesn’t affect the PPM services for audio or TV, it is still a problem in need of a solution for the company. The company has said it will “be keeping the traditional diary collection format for the majority of the sample” going forward. Nielsen has committed to improving its digital tools and modernizing its data collection to reshape its diary service going forward.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
