Nielsen will track which set-top boxes you use for streaming TV

Nielsen, which tracks viewership for television shows, among other things, will soon break out its usage data for streaming set-top boxes by brand and device type. With this data, networks will be able to see, for instance, how many people are watching a show on an Xbox One, Chromecast, or Apple TV.

From Variety:

The data will let Nielsen clients track how many homes across the country own TV-connected devices, which devices they own and how much time consumers spend with them overall. For Nielsen-tracked TV content, the company said, media customers will be able to track program viewing by device.

The company will also launch a new Total Use of Television metric. This adds the use of streaming devices to more traditional television watching to provide a better picture of a home's viewing habits.

Nielsen already tracks the total viewing done on connected set-top boxes for all of the TV content that it measures. This new step breaks down even more data for TV networks. Neilson's new metrics will be available for clients starting April 25.

Joseph Keller