Nielsen expands audience measurement deal with Paramount across platforms

Nielsen and Paramount Global have signed a multi-year partnership agreement that will provide audience measurement services across Paramount's entire media portfolio, according to Nielsen's February 3, 2025 announcement. The agreement encompasses national and local broadcast, cable networks, and streaming platforms Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

The partnership introduces several new measurement capabilities. Paramount has licensed Nielsen's Advanced Audiences, Big Data + Panel, Ad-Supported Streaming Platform Ratings, Nielsen ONE Ads for Connected Television, and an expanded national out-of-home measurement service. These tools aim to provide data for advertising, programming, and licensing strategies.

Karthik Rao, Nielsen CEO, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating that Nielsen's data demonstrates the success of Paramount's content and advertising strategy across platforms and demographics. George Cheeks, President and CEO of CBS and Co-CEO of Paramount Global, emphasized the importance of addressing television's multiplatform future.

The announcement coincides with several notable achievements for Paramount's properties. CBS's broadcast of the AFC Championship Game on January 26 achieved record-breaking viewership, attracting 57.7 million viewers. This figure represents the highest viewership in AFC history and the largest conference championship audience in fifteen years.

During the 2024 NFL regular season, CBS maintained strong performance in sports broadcasting. The network aired three of the top five NFL games in October, secured the highest-rated game in November with 27.5 million viewers, and featured two of the top five games in December.

In scripted programming, CBS has demonstrated consistent strength in drama series. The second season of Tracker dominated ratings across three consecutive months, achieving 11.3 million average viewers in October, 11.6 million in November, and 10.8 million in December. The network's new adaptation of Matlock performed strongly, consistently ranking second to Tracker. Other successful series including FBI, Elsbeth, NCIS, and Blue Bloods maintained positions in the top 10 throughout fall 2024.

CBS dramas accumulated over 50 trillion viewing minutes during the fourth quarter of 2024, equivalent to approximately 100,000 years of viewing time, surpassing all other broadcast networks. The streaming service Paramount+ achieved significant milestones with original series including Lioness, Tulsa King, and Landman. Notably, Landman became the platform's first series to exceed one billion viewing minutes in a single week.

The agreement follows several technological advancements from Nielsen. On February 3, the company announced complete coverage of out-of-home measurement across the contiguous United States. Additionally, Nielsen received accreditation for Big Data + Panel measurement in January 2025, following its November 2024 accreditation for first-party live streaming measurement solutions.

Nielsen's measurement infrastructure incorporates person-level data from panels exceeding 1.2 million individuals, supported by extensive big data resources and comprehensive coverage across digital, linear, streaming, and Connected TV platforms. This technological foundation enables the company to provide detailed audience insights across various media consumption patterns.

The partnership reflects the increasing complexity of media measurement in a fragmented viewing landscape. As content consumption continues to diversify across platforms, the need for comprehensive measurement solutions has become increasingly critical for media companies and advertisers seeking to understand audience behavior and optimize content strategies.

This agreement represents a significant development in the media measurement industry, combining traditional broadcast metrics with advanced streaming analytics. The partnership aims to provide more accurate and comprehensive audience measurement across Paramount's diverse media portfolio, addressing the evolving needs of advertisers and content creators in the contemporary media landscape.