TiVo is stepping up its turf battle with ratings-data giant Nielsen, unveiling a product that will capture ratings data for local television markets.
The provider of set-top boxes, which already sells national ratings and research, is set to offer data on TV ratings and viewership at the local level, where Nielsen is the only player.
TiVo’s offering, dubbed “Stop Watch,” uses data gleaned from its set-top box subscribers to track what people watch, record and skip. The company plans to announce the local service today at the National Association of Broadcasters’ NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Advertisers, agencies and TV networks use the second-by-second ratings of programs and commercials to gain more insight into TV-viewing habits.
TiVo, which jumped into the audience-measurement business a few years ago, believes there is a growing appetite for this same data in local markets, which lack some of the measuring tools available at the national level.
For years, Nielsen tracked audiences in individual markets by asking families to record their viewing habits in paper diaries. After advertisers clamored for more data, Nielsen switched to electronic meters that automatically measure what people are watching rather than relying on them to do the paperwork.
While Nielsen has made the transition in many areas, it encountered delays after the switch led to ratings changes that upset some broadcasters. In smaller markets, Nielsen is still in the process of changing over to electronic meters.
Still, this is a tricky time for TiVo to court local advertisers and media outlets. The economic downturn, in particular the automakers’ hardships, has wreaked havoc on local TV stations, which have come to depend on Detroit dollars.
Todd Juenger, who heads TiVo’s audience research and measurement, said he recognizes that potential clients are hurting but believes they will be better able to attract advertisers with detailed data and fresh insight.
“When you get more accountability and more confidence in being able to tell the advertiser that this is your audience, it always attracts more advertising dollars,” Juenger said, adding that the service will be priced to make it “accessible to TV stations, especially in this environment.”
Juenger said TiVo is capable of offering the service in all local markets but will start with a handful this summer. As clients subscribe to the service, it will roll out to more areas.