US EditionNielsen Pilots Co-Viewing Methodology for Live Events, Starting with Super Bowl
Nielsen's pilot uses wearable audio devices to better capture out-of-home co-viewing at live events, aiming to improve audience data accuracy for advertisers and networks.
- On Feb. 8, Nielsen will pilot wearable audio devices during NBC's Super Bowl LX telecast to passively capture audio and measure co-viewing without formal logins.
- Industry disputes over out-of-home counting have arisen because Nielsen and TV networks disagree on counting viewers at bars, hotels, offices, and parties, especially after Nielsen undercounted Super Bowl LVIII by two million in 2023.
- The pilot will continue during Super Bowl LX on Sunday and at high-profile sports and entertainment live events in the first half of 2026, with initial results released weeks after Nielsen's Big Data + Panel ratings.
- Co-Viewing estimates will not be immediately included in Nielsen's Big Data + Panel ratings and thus won't serve as transaction currency for advertisers, but Nielsen hopes to add out-of-home numbers by the 2026-27 television season.
- Some companies have already tried to boost out-of-home measurement, while Karthik Rao, Nielsen CEO, says the pilot builds on Big Data + Panel work and wearable devices after earlier reversals.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Nielsen pilots co-viewing methodology for live events, starting with Super Bowl
(Stock image via Pixabay, Graphic by The Desk) Nielsen says it will pilot a new methodology for measuring television viewership to account for co-viewing during premium events like live sports, with the Super Bowl on NBC serving as the testing ground. The pilot program will launch this Sunday, during NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl LX from Northern California, and continue throughout the year during similar high-profile sports and entertainment eve…
Nielsen Will Use Super Bowl to Test New Measurement of Live Crowds That Could Boost Sports, News, Specials
TV networks and sports leagues rely heavily on Nielsen to to tell them how many people at home watch football games, tennis matches and auto races. Counting viewers in bars, hotels and offices? That has sometimes created a bone of contention. The measurement giant says it will use NBC’s telecast of Super Bowl LX on […]
Nielsen tests new method to measure shared TV viewership
Nielsen said it is testing a new measurement method aimed at more accurately capturing co-viewing, or instances where multiple people watch television together, particularly during live events. The audience measurement company said the pilot will begin with Super Bowl LX, airing on NBC on February 8, 2026, and will continue across select high-profile sports and entertainment broadcasts in the first half of the year. Initial findings from the pil…
Nielsen launches co-viewing pilot program to enhance TV measurement
Mumbai : Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data and media intelligence, has announced the launch of a new pilot program aimed at more accurately accounting for co-viewing, further strengthening the way total television audiences—particularly for live events—are measured. The pilot will debut with Super Bowl LX, airing on NBC on Sunday, February 8, 2026, and will extend to other high-profile live sports and entertainment events th…
Nielsen launches co-viewing pilot programme for Super Bowl
Nielsen is piloting a new methodology enhancement to more accurately account for co-viewing. The TV audience measurement specialist says this will better reflect the total viewership for programming – in particular live events. The pilot programme will launch in the US with Super Bowl LX on NBC on February 8th and continue for high-profile sports […]
A Co-Viewing Pilot Program Comes From Nielsen
Faced with increased scrutiny from the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) over its audience measurement capabilities, Nielsen has revealed it will be beta testing “a new methodology enhancement to more accurately account for co-viewing.” This, Nielsen says, “will better reflect the total viewership for programming” – in particular the upcoming Super Bowl LX on February 8. Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
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