Univision said it will be using Comscore as its exclusive audience measurement provider at stations it is acquiring in Washington, D.C., and Orlando and Tampa, Florida.
The stations will use Comscore’s next-generation linear audience measurement service as currency for its local advertising sales.
Univision and Comscore also said they will collaborate to refine Comscore’s Hispanic audience measurement capabilities.
Also read: Comscore Fires Back at Nielsen on Using Big Data
The move comes with Nielsen under pressure both in its local measurement business as well as in the national market. Critics have said Nielsen’s panels are too small to accurately measure viewing as it spreads to more platforms and screens.
Industry watchdog the Media Rating Council has suspended the accreditation for Nielsen’s national and local ratings products and said Nielsen undercounted national and local viewing during the pandemic, which reduced the number of households contributing to its panels.
Also read: Ad Industry Seeks Alternatives After Nielsen Loses Seal of Approval
“With trust in audience measurement at an inflection point across the industry, Univision surveyed the market and quickly identified Comscore as the right partner for us to deliver reliable and advanced measurement beginning in these three markets,” Univision executive VP of research, insights and analytics Roberto Ruiz said. “We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Comscore into the linear TV space and are excited to have a seat at the table in helping to drive meaningful, positive change in standards for how the Hispanic audience, and audiences in general, are measured.”
Univision is taking control of the three stations — WFDC Washington, WVEN Orlando and WVEA Tampa — from Entravision Communications. Entravision’s licensing agreement with Univision ends Dec. 31.
Comscore uses data from millions of cable set-top boxes to generate its viewer numbers and is among the measurement companies the industry sees providing potential alternatives to Nielsen.
“The media industry is witnessing momentous change, and advertisers need stable and reliable measurement they can trust, to provide accurate audience insights for all audiences,” Comscore chief revenue officer Carol Hinnant said. “Comscore is proud that Univision has tapped us as a trusted partner to help deliver the future of television currency.”
