Nielsen partners with Edison Research to integrate podcast data into media planning tool

Edison Research and Nielsen announced a collaboration on August 6, 2025, to launch Nielsen Podcast Fusion powered by Edison Research. The partnership integrates industry-leading Edison Podcast Metrics into Nielsen's widely used media planning tool, Nielsen Media Impact (NMI), marking the first time advertisers and agencies can plan, optimize and compare all major media types – including podcasts, TV, radio, digital and social – in one unified platform.

NPR and Ocean Media have signed on as charter subscribers for the new dataset. The collaboration addresses a significant market opportunity as podcasts now reach the majority of adults 18-34 monthly and command an impressive 32% share of ad-supported audio.

According to Nielsen, the integration provides users with a more holistic view of media planning while helping them uncover valuable insights and demonstrate campaign effectiveness. NMI users will be able to optimize media plans by specific podcast networks, genres, and individual programs.

"Nielsen Media Impact is a critical tool for cross-platform media planning, and we are excited to bring our best-in-class podcast measurement data to this ecosystem," said Melissa Kiesche, Senior Vice President at Edison Research. "Our strategic partnership will help advertisers better understand the power of podcasting and its role in the broader media landscape."

Rich Tunkel, Managing Director of Nielsen Audio, emphasized the significance of young audiences consuming podcasts as a substantial portion of their media diet. "Nielsen continues to be at the forefront of media measurement so that advertisers can create their plans with confidence. This new collaboration further extends that confidence to audio and podcasts," Tunkel stated.

The technical integration addresses measurement complexities that have historically challenged podcast advertising. Traditional approaches required individual negotiations, varied production processes, and inconsistent measurement standards across podcast networks. Nielsen Podcast Fusion standardizes these elements through a unified measurement framework.

Edison Research operates Edison Podcast Metrics as a subscription service providing audience size estimates and listener profiles for shows and networks. The platform serves most major podcasting networks and increasing numbers of advertising agencies, producing the only survey-based data on podcast listening in the United States.

The methodology reflects continuous data collection rather than point-in-time snapshots. Participants indicate which podcasts they listened to or watched in the past week along with demographic, psychographic, and purchase-behavior information. This approach differs from download-based metrics by focusing on actual consumption patterns.

Ocean Media's Associate Director of Planning & Insights, Marcela Wilfong, highlighted the practical implications of the integration. "For our clients, seamless podcast planning alongside other audio and video channels is vital. The integration of podcast metrics into NMI makes this a reality, allowing us to evaluate and develop more intelligent, cross-platform media strategies for our brands. We see this as a pivotal advancement."

Susan Leland, Director of Audience Insights at NPR, described the collaboration's industry impact. "Integrating podcast data with Nielsen Media Impact marks a pivotal step in how the industry approaches cross-media planning. With podcasts now a key player in the advertising ecosystem, this collaboration will empower advertisers to harness detailed insights and optimize their campaigns effectively across all major media types."

The partnership emerges during significant transformation in podcast measurement methodologies. Edison Research recently revealed that podcast rankings began incorporating data from individuals whose sole podcast consumption occurred through video platforms in 2025, reflecting broader industry trends toward multi-platform consumption.

This measurement evolution addresses documented gaps in audio advertising investment. While consumers dedicate 31% of their media time to audio content, advertisers allocate only 9% of their budgets to audio platforms, creating substantial opportunities for podcast advertising growth.

The collaboration builds upon Nielsen's previous developments in measurement modernization. The company has expanded Nielsen ONE to include outcomes, advanced audiences, and planning capabilities while implementing Big Data + Panel measurement methodologies that combine panel data with big data sources.

Edison Research has conducted The Infinite Dial survey series since 1998, serving as the survey of record for digital audio, social media, podcasting, smart speakers, and other media-related technologies. The company's Share of Ear survey provides the only single-source measure of all audio in the United States.

Recent industry partnerships demonstrate the growing consolidation and sophistication in podcast measurement and monetization. Audioboom's acquisition of UK podcast leader Adelicious created Britain's largest homegrown podcast network with 40 million unique listeners, while technological developments enable advertisers to target specific topics discussed within individual podcast episodes.

The Nielsen partnership addresses technical limitations that have historically constrained host-read advertisement scaling across multiple podcast networks. While host-read advertisements often command CPM rates three to four times higher than programmatic insertions due to enhanced engagement and authenticity, traditional approaches required individual negotiations and varied production processes.

Programmatic podcast advertising continues expanding through automated buying capabilities. Spotify announced expanded access to 170 million monthly podcast listeners through its Ad Exchange and Ads Manager platforms in July 2025, while Frequency launched its Premium Publisher Network to bridge host-read advertisement quality with programmatic efficiency.

The integration provides standardized measurement protocols that align with broader digital advertising practices. 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.

For charter subscribers NPR and Ocean Media, the integration represents immediate access to enhanced cross-platform planning capabilities. NPR maintains strong podcast performance with multiple shows consistently ranking in top podcast measurements, averaging a 10.3 ranking position across NPR News Now, Up First, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, and Planet Money.

Nielsen describes itself as a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, the company empowers clients with independent and actionable intelligence for connecting and engaging with global audiences.

Edison Research conducts survey research and provides strategic information to clients worldwide, having conducted research in 66 countries. Since 2004, Edison Research has served as the sole provider of election data, race projections and analysis to the National Election Pool for major television networks during presidential elections.

The collaboration positions both companies to address the evolving needs of advertisers seeking comprehensive measurement solutions across fragmented media landscapes. As podcast consumption continues growing and measurement methodologies advance, the partnership provides infrastructure for sophisticated campaign planning and optimization across traditional and emerging audio platforms.

Timeline

• August 6, 2025: Nielsen and Edison Research announce Nielsen Podcast Fusion collaboration
• 2025: Edison Research begins incorporating video consumption data into podcast rankings methodology
• July 2025: Spotify expands automated podcast buying to 170 million listeners across 12 markets
• March 2025: Frequency launches Premium Publisher Network for podcast advertising
• February 2025: Nielsen announces Big Data + Panel measurement system replacing panel-only TV ratings
• December 2024: Nielsen expands measurement capabilities with attention tracking technology
• August 2024: Nielsen and Edison Research unveil Q2 2024 audio listening trends
• May 2024: Nielsen launches The Record quarterly report on ad-supported audio habits

Key Terms Explained

Nielsen Media Impact (NMI): Nielsen's widely used media planning tool that serves as the central platform for cross-platform advertising campaign development. The system enables advertisers and agencies to plan, optimize, and measure campaigns across multiple media channels simultaneously. With the integration of podcast data, NMI now provides unprecedented visibility into audience behavior across traditional television, radio, digital platforms, social media, and podcasting, creating a unified ecosystem for media buyers seeking comprehensive campaign insights.

Edison Podcast Metrics: The industry-leading podcast measurement service that provides audience size estimates and listener profiles for shows and networks across the United States. This subscription-based platform serves most major podcasting networks and increasing numbers of advertising agencies, producing the only survey-based data on podcast listening in America. The methodology focuses on actual consumption patterns rather than download-based metrics, incorporating demographic, psychographic, and purchase-behavior information from participants who indicate their weekly podcast consumption habits.

Cross-platform media planning: The strategic approach to advertising campaign development that coordinates message delivery across multiple media channels simultaneously. This methodology recognizes that modern consumers engage with content across television, radio, digital platforms, social media, and podcasting throughout their daily routines. Effective cross-platform planning requires sophisticated measurement tools and unified data sets to optimize budget allocation, timing, and creative messaging across diverse media environments while maintaining consistent brand communication.

Programmatic advertising: Automated technology-driven systems that enable real-time buying and selling of advertising inventory through algorithmic bidding processes. In podcast advertising, programmatic capabilities eliminate traditional barriers including manual negotiations, individual insertion orders, and varied production processes that have historically limited campaign scale. These systems provide standardized measurement protocols, real-time optimization capabilities, and data-driven audience targeting that align podcast advertising with broader digital advertising practices.

Host-read advertisements: Promotional messages personally recorded by podcast hosts in their own voice and speaking style, typically incorporating products or services into natural conversation flow. These advertisements leverage the trust and relationship hosts have built with their audiences, resulting in engagement rates and brand recall significantly higher than traditional pre-recorded spots. While historically facing scalability challenges due to individual production requirements, recent technological advances now enable programmatic delivery while maintaining the personal authenticity that drives effectiveness.

Ad-supported audio: Audio content that incorporates commercial advertisements as the primary revenue model, encompassing traditional radio broadcasting, podcasts with advertisements, and free tiers of music streaming services. This category represents a significant portion of daily media consumption, with radio capturing approximately 67% of ad-supported audio listening time, podcasts claiming 19%, and streaming services accounting for the remainder. Understanding ad-supported audio consumption patterns provides crucial insights for advertisers seeking to optimize their audio marketing investments.

Big Data + Panel methodology: Nielsen's hybrid measurement approach that combines traditional panel-based research with extensive big data sources to provide comprehensive audience insights. The system integrates data from approximately 101,000 people across 42,000 households with information from about 45 million households and 75 million devices, sourced from companies including major cable providers, streaming platforms, and connected device manufacturers. This methodology addresses the limitations of panel-only measurement while maintaining the demographic precision that traditional research provides.

Audience measurement: The systematic collection and analysis of data regarding media consumption patterns, demographic characteristics, and behavioral insights across various platforms and content types. Modern audience measurement incorporates multiple data sources including traditional panels, big data streams, and survey research to provide comprehensive understanding of how consumers engage with media content. This information enables advertisers, content creators, and media companies to make informed decisions about programming, advertising placement, and audience targeting strategies.

Charter subscribers: Early adopting organizations that sign initial contracts for new services or platforms, often receiving preferential terms, enhanced support, and input into product development priorities. In the context of Nielsen Podcast Fusion, NPR and Ocean Media serve as charter subscribers, gaining immediate access to integrated podcast measurement capabilities within Nielsen Media Impact. These partnerships provide valuable feedback for platform optimization while demonstrating industry confidence in the new measurement solution.

Media planning tool: Software platforms that enable advertising professionals to develop, optimize, and execute comprehensive media strategies across multiple channels and platforms. These systems integrate audience data, inventory availability, pricing information, and performance metrics to support strategic decision-making throughout campaign development and execution. Advanced media planning tools like Nielsen Media Impact now incorporate sophisticated algorithms, real-time bidding capabilities, and cross-platform measurement to address the complexity of modern fragmented media landscapes.

Summary

Who: Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, and Edison Research, a premier podcast research firm, launched the collaboration. NPR and Ocean Media serve as charter subscribers.

What: Nielsen Podcast Fusion powered by Edison Research integrates Edison Podcast Metrics into Nielsen Media Impact, enabling unified planning across podcasts, TV, radio, digital and social media for the first time.

When: The collaboration was announced on August 6, 2025, with the dataset becoming available to charter subscribers at launch.

Where: The integration operates within Nielsen Media Impact, Nielsen's widely used media planning tool, serving advertisers and agencies globally.

Why: The partnership addresses growing podcast consumption among adults 18-34 and the need for sophisticated measurement tools as podcasts capture 32% of ad-supported audio share, while enabling cross-platform media planning in one unified system.