From radio to audio – the future measurement in Norway is awarded to Nielsen
Nielsen Media Research has been awarded the contract to deliver the official audio listening numbers starting on 1st of January 2019 in Norway. The new service will include measuring and reporting of all audio content from participating parties, live to time-shifted – including broadcast, online and podcast – independent of platform, device and where the listening takes place. With this measurement, Norway will have one of the most advanced measurements of audio in the world.
From left: Kristian Tolonen (NRK), Bjarte Øgrey (Bauer Media), Åse Marit Linberg (MTG), Line Skjønneborg (Nielsen), Bente Røe Paulsen (Nielsen).
“The measurement will document how many listeners each radio station has, how long they listened, who the listeners are and on what device they listened. The purpose of the measurement is to give a representative picture of all listening behavior.
Data from the new measurement will indicate the strength ratio between the channels and give a precise basis for commercial and editorial use”, says Bente Paulsen, Operations Manager in Nielsen.
“After a good tender process with strong competition, Nielsen had the best offer for the future radio and audio measurement. We look forward to working on developing our radio and audio content through thorough measurement and reporting from Nielsen,” says Åse Marit Linberg (MTG), Chairman of the Norwegian Radio Committee.
Future listening demands a more comprehensive measurement
Nielsen has been tracking radio audiences for more than 65 years and has over 100 patents on measurement technology including the Personal People Meter (PPM) technology that has been used to measure radio listening in Norway since 2006. Nielsen is in a unique position to deliver continuity and stability to the existing measurement of audio. The small PPM device is carried all day by the panel members. It picks up an inaudible code included in all broadcasts and reports the listening overnight via the telecom network. The listening is reported the following morning to the market. Digital online listening is being registered by a separate software called Software Development Kit (SDK).
With the audio landscape constantly changing and the transition from FM to DAB there will be many new channels emerging, and a more comprehensive measurement solution is required. As the world’s leading radio audience measurement company which includes the US market, Nielsen will continue to capture the growth and changes in the industry, deliver innovation and invest in measurement solutions that reflect the evolving landscape, thereby giving the most precise reporting of listening, especially in the digital space.
“The listening today is very fragmented and our solution allows all audio to be reported. The future solution will give a more precise picture of the listening through enhanced technology and will also include all digital listening”, says Line Skjønneborg, Commercial Director at Nielsen. “The methodology will be tailored to the unique nature of the Norwegian media landscape involving measurement solutions and technologies that have been tested over several years in other Nielsen markets.”
Advanced and detailed demands for the new measurement
Norway is the first country in the world to have implemented full digital distribution for the national radio channels and is recognized as pioneer in the international radio market. The radio committee (NRK, Bauer, MTG) is focused on using existing and future technologies and have high standards for the methodology. The detailed level and demands in the tender were impressively high and there is no doubt that they want a future solution that the whole market will benefit from.
“We are humbled and enthusiastic about the task ahead, providing a precise picture of the future audio listening,” says Line Skjønneborg.
Press Release from Nielsen Media Research, Verkstedveien 3, Skøyen, Oslo, on 21st December 2017