Hearst Television is voicing support for the finding of the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) that Live Plus Same Day (“Live+SD”) ratings represent the closest approximation in local TV measurement to the C3 ratings used for network advertising. Late last month, Tribune also announced support of TVB’s position.
The Live+SD time-shifted local-TV audience ratings for June show an increasingly close relationship to the C3 ratings standard used by national media buyers and networks, according to a TVB analysis.
“The trends are clear,” said Jordan Wertlieb, president of Hearst Television.
“Live Plus Same Day is on track to approximate C3 even more closely.”
The TVB analysis of Nielsen data for June 2013 indicates average-quarter-hour Live+SD ratings were within 6% of C3 ratings for the month. This represented a year-over-year narrowing from 12% in June 2011 and 8% in June 2012 to 6% in June 2013. This is also the third consecutive month of such changes, with April and May each narrowing the difference between Live+SD and C3 ratings.
At the conclusion of the 2012/2013 broadcast season, season-long Live+SD ratings were within 5% of C3 ratings, significantly closer to C3 than Live-Only ratings, which showed a 16% variance. The season-long data include months in which Live+SD ratings were at near-parity with C3 ratings.
“With today’s technology, viewers have more options and more control than ever before,” Wertlieb said. “Clearly our business must be given better credit for viewership in the new landscape.”
“Whether it is delayed viewing or viewing on the best available screen in and out of the home, local broadcasters should be fairly compensated for the valuable viewers we deliver to advertisers,” Wertlieb added. “Live Plus Same Day viewing has repeatedly demonstrated it is the closest representation of the C3 national currency and is the closest approximation today for our customers to fairly compare national and local media values.”
The TVB already has received public support in the Live+SD effort from the ABC, CBS and NBC Affiliate Boards as well as major broadcast TV groups.
