The TV ratings contract between Paramount and Nielsen expired on Monday without a new deal in place, just hours ahead of the 2024 vice presidential debate hosted by CBS.
Paramount didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap. But in a statement, a company spokesperson said, “Nielsen has severed our long-standing measurement partnership with its unacceptable demands, including substantial price increases that are inconsistent with the realities of a changing industry. We have spent the last few years preparing for a multi-currency future and creating the operational infrastructure to move beyond Nielsen. We are confident in the quality of our alternative currency offering for clients as we continue efforts to reach a new Nielsen agreement with reasonable economic terms.”
Nielsen declined to comment for this article. But an individual with knowledge of the situation disputed Paramount’s characterization of the price dispute, noting that ratings data is used to determine not only advertising rates but carriage fees and other sources of revenue.
It’s not currently known when talks will continue for a new contract. But in a letter sent to Paramount’s media clients, Paramount advertising president John Halley confirmed the company “will solely utilize VideoAmp for planning, reporting and stewardship” until a new deal with Nielsen is reached.
A Nielsen spokesperson told TheWrap last week that it hoped to reach a new deal and continue to partner with Paramount, and emphasized that all of its other customers and the industry at large would continue to have full access to its data, even if a new deal is not reached by the deadline.
The split comes just hours before the vice presidential debate between Democratic nominee Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance airs live Tuesday night from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Pacific. The match up will be moderated by CBS news, but it will be simulcast on other networks including ABC, NBC, Fox, CNN and MSNBC.
Advertisers largely depend on Nielsen’s data, including the Streaming Top 10 and The Gauge, in order to help determine their spending on commercials as audiences shift from linear TV to streaming — though the scope of that data currently remains limited as that transition is ongoing. Over the past six months, the firm has launched new capabilities in order to expand its measurement data around audience and out-of-home viewing.