Board Thread:False Info and Speculative Discussion/@comment-24732895-20140910035928/@comment-19765459-20140912004922

Paul.rea wrote: Nielsen is the only thing advertisers look at when buying commercial time.

They have to rely on the networks own information about online viewing. I'm not going to say the networks lie about those numbers but I will say they color them to make them look better than they are.

The level of advertising dollars supporting "online programming" is miniscule. The type of shows we enjoy now on networks and cable could not survive on that income stream.

As to future revenue streams - the only one that generates real money is syndication - also dependent on traditional ratings.

For the foreseeable future - the current model will control the purse strings and programming.

Wrong. When well-lubricated with alcohol at tradeshow events, actual ad firm consultants have told me the exact opposite of what you are saying. There's a whole sub-economy in that sector around gathering this kind of data. The Nielsen's are merely used in public statements of ratings. Behind the scenes, all this other data is being carefully processed and analyzed. It might get touted externally if, for example, there is perceived need to appease industry analysts and advertisers. But only if the data is positive.

Remember, advertisers already buy ad time from the networks directly for streamed content. It's why you get commercials if you watch the show on the MTV site or Hulu.