Nielsen to expand its National TV out-of-home (OOH) panel

Nielsen announced an expansion of its National TV out-of-home (OOH) panel. This initiative aims to capture out-of-home viewing habits across all U.S. TV households, marking a major step towards comprehensive viewership measurement.

Previously, Nielsen's OOH panel covered 65% of U.S. households, capturing television consumption in settings like airports, hotels, bars, and restaurants. By adding additional homes equipped with proprietary Portable People Meter (PPM) Wearables technology, Nielsen will achieve 100% coverage, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.

This move addresses the growing importance of out-of-home viewing, particularly for certain genres like live sports. Nielsen data reveals that in 2023, U.S. sports fans spent an astonishing 1.7 trillion minutes watching games from the top five leagues outside their homes. Additionally, streaming services increasingly compete for live sports rights, highlighting the need for accurate measurement across platforms.

"We're dedicated to constant innovation to provide clients with the most comprehensive picture of television consumption," said Deirdre Thomas, Chief Product Officer of Audience Measurement at Nielsen. "This expansion ensures they have a complete understanding of their audience, especially for major events like the Super Bowl."

Nielsen anticipates delivering impact data from the expanded panel in Q4 2024, coinciding with Super Bowl LIX. This initiative signifies a crucial step towards a more holistic understanding of TV viewership, empowering both broadcasters and advertisers with insightful data across all viewing environments.