TV ratings giant Nielsen on Monday completed its $1.26 billion acquisition of Arbitron in a deal that skeptics believe stifles competition.
The Federal Trade Commission only a few months ago looked as though it might block the merger that gives Nielsen, with its old-school technology of giving families boxes to gauge their TV choices, Arbitron’s new “Portable People Meter” technology that tracks viewers watching over television, radio, PCs, smartphones and tablets.
The FTC approved the deal on the condition the merged company continues to license the people meter technology to ESPN.
But it is unclear on whether Nielsen needs to license the technology to anyone new who might be interested in the license.
“ESPN had influence on the FTC. Others not so much,” a source said.