Nielsen Data Will Help 'Digital Assault' on TV Ads, nScreenMedia Analyst Says

Nielsen -- which will start crediting videos distributed via Facebook, Hulu and YouTube in its digital content ratings -- is helping validate those companies in advertisers' eyes as the companies seek to tap into the TV advertising market with new products and services aimed at connected TVs, nScreenMedia's Colin Dixon blogged Tuesday. "The digital assault on television ad revenue is in full swing," he said, pointing to Hulu's and YouTube's virtual MVPD services and to Facebook's new video tab, Watch, and its paying providers to create Watch content. The analyst said advertisers haven't trusted the data they get from digital video companies, but the Nielsen move should help alleviate those concerns. Nielsen, which announced the move Wednesday, said enabled digital publisher clients will get credit for video distributed on Facebook and YouTube in Nielsen’s Digital Content Ratings, and Hulu will give select media partners credit for current series content distributed on the platform, with data evaluation to begin this month.