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Nielsen to Restore Ratings Meter Services to New Orleans DMA

Apr 10, 2006  •  Post A Comment

Nielsen Media Research plans to restore meter-diary services to the New Orleans designated market area, which has been without a valid metered ratings sample since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005, for the February 2007 sweeps ratings survey.

Nielsen said Monday it is working closely with Claritas, its primary demographic data supplier, to ensure the quality and accuracy of the universe estimates upon which the ratings estimates are based. New universe estimates for the New Orleans DMA will be issued in September.

The February 2007 survey will begin with 300 set-meter households and build to 400 households in about six months. Demographic information will continue to be collected via diaries sent to the marketplace four times per year.

New Orleans will be converted from a telephone frame to an area probability research design, under which housing units are selected through in-person recruitment rather than via telephone. The transition to this sampling methodology allows for quicker reaction to changes in housing construction and neighborhood revitalization, Nielsen said.

In a related undertaking, Nielsen Media Research’s parent company, VNU, has committed to provide $250,000 in funding for four houses that will be built by Habitat for Humanity in the region. An additional $50,000 will be provided by Nielsen Media Research and its employees. Twenty volunteers from VNU and Nielsen will join the Habitat for Humanity workers for one week to help construct the houses.