Nielsen begins measuring Netflix and SVOD

US ratings agency Nielsen has started offering a syndicated solution to measure subscription video-on-demand and streaming content, including the likes of Netflix.

Clients including A+E Networks, Disney-ABC, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal and Warner Brothers are among those who have signed up for the service.

Nielsen began measuring streaming content in 2014 via an opt-in service. However, it said that its new solution takes SVOD measurement to another level with a significant enhancement to its on-demand content ratings framework, which makes use of the demographic and household characteristic data of the Nielsen US National TV Panel, to identify viewing to these programmes.

Subscribing clients will now have a more comprehensive view of the total audience regardless of where content was viewed, and the ability to follow the lifecycle of a show including live, time-shifted viewing, set-top-box video on-demand and SVOD, said Nielsen. As SVOD originals re-enter traditional television, an established track record of their audience profiles will already exist, the company said.

The SVOD ratings will rovide measurement of programmes at the season and episode level in a manner comparable to linear television dat, including ratings, reach, frequency and segmentation reporting, according to the company.

“The significant growth of SVOD services in entertainment markets across the world has created demand from rights owners to understand the size and composition of audiences relative to other programs and platforms,” said Megan Clarken, president of Watch, Nielsen.

“The syndication of SVOD measurement as part of Nielsen’s Total Audience offerings represents a big step forward in terms of moving closer to transparency within the SVOD marketplace.”