A consortium of TV networks is demanding an independent audit of Nielsen ratings — the latest volley in a dispute between broadcasters and the company that measures their audiences.
The Video Advertising Bureau, an industry group that acts as a bridge between networks and advertisers, claims Nielsen has let the size and quality of its national TV panel degrade since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last year.
That's resulted in undercounting viewers and a potential loss of ad revenue for networks going into the upfront season. "We have confidence in the fidelity of our ratings estimates and are focused on the continued quality of our panel," Nielsen said in a statement last week, in response to VAB claims that the ratings service's.