In the first methodology change after the acquisition of Arbitron, and its rebranding as Nielsen Audio, Nielsen has announced it will include radio online reruns in its ratings, according to Inside Radio and Audio4cast.
The decision is an inching movement toward measuring webcasts, and will be applied to a specific programming scenario — when a station provides complete rerun loops online, as is the case with some morning shows. The online component must be unaltered, and include all content and commercials. The measurement will not stand alone, but will be bundled into the broader ratings picture.
A 24-hour window applies: listeners who access the online repeat after that period will not be counted. This windowing limitation shares the same principle as Nielsen’s “Same Day” measurement of television viewing on DVRs — in that measurement the 24-hour viewing day starts at 3:00am. The new radio-stream measurement applies to a different time-shifting opportunity for listeners that doesn’t involve home recording of the content.
Jennifer Lane of Audio4cast notes: “I’m sure this is the first of many changes that Nielsen will make to its measurement of audio.”