On Wednesday, Nieslen sent clients a follow-up explanation regarding the ratings snafu in Los Angeles that caused 35 homes to be removed from the August survey. “The investigation determined that an isolated personnel issue caused several households to be improperly brought online between January and July 2016. Additionally, the investigation confirmed that this issue was isolated to Los Angeles and that no media outlets were involved.” Here’s the full Nielsen statement:
“As communicated on August 22, out of an abundance of caution 35 homes were removed from the Los Angeles August survey because quality protocols were not followed. We have completed an impact analysis for all months in 2016. The analysis compares estimates without the affected homes to the originally published estimates. These homes had extremely light radio exposure overall and there was zero impact on total radio listening. In addition, there was no material impact on station level ratings during the months of January through July.Therefore, the Los Angeles data we have previously published will not be reissued. Impact data is available to clients upon request.
“When this issue was identified in early August, we launched a comprehensive investigation to determine root cause, what actions, if any, may be required for prior months in 2016, and whether this issue affected other PPM markets.The investigation determined that an isolated personnel issue caused several households to be improperly brought online between January and July 2016. Additionally, the investigation confirmed that this issue was isolated to Los Angeles and that no media outlets were involved.
“Nielsen is constantly innovating new compliance checks to ensure the quality of its PPM panel. In this specific case, Nielsen moved quickly to identify the root cause and immediately took corrective action.”
How a noise in the background of an office setting can be described as a “listening” behavior that can then be (accurately) documented, makes of my mind – a puddle of mooshy drool. That radio execs take all this seriously is cause for even greater dribbling. And I don’t wish to be seen as a slobbering mess. 🙂
“…these homes (35 of them) represented extremely light radio listening and had no impact on total listening” Then why were they in the panel? What screen allowed them in the panel?
All of Nielsen’s behavior toward radio—from the clumsy reaction to Bubba the The Sponge to Voltair! to this—suggests that Nielsen doesn’t actually understand Radio or radio listeners. It suggests that they are afraid of radio. Radio executives fight and demand service. TV executives, the types with the 3,000 dollar suits, enjoy a good meal on the Nielsen expense accounts and then they are placated. I have NO idea why Nielsen bought Arbitron unless it was to own PPM Tech. If that’s the case, please invest in it so the PPM delivers what Arbitron promised it would deliver.