Nielsen® Encoders

Ross provides flexible, robust solutions for encoding Nielsen® watermarks, providing you with the tools to accurately measure your audience engagement.

In 2005, the Nielsen® Company introduced the Active/Passive Audience Measurement system designed for the purpose of measuring new forms of media distribution, multi-platform content, and particularly DTV and DVR-based time shifted viewing. The A/P measurement system utilizes multiple identification engines to credit television tuning, including advanced audio encoding or watermarking (embedded within the audio spectrum), audio signatures or fingerprints which require a sample compared against a reference, and video watermarking.

Nielsen®’s patented audio watermarking technology provides the capability to track content distribution from its origin to its final destination. This is accomplished through the insertion of a unique Program Content SID (Source Identification Code) at the broadcast network or national syndicator distribution center and insertion of a Final Distributor SID at a local broadcast station, local cable origination or national cable network distribution center . The SID is a second-by-second serial number used by Nielsen® and the television industry to uniquely identify program content to ensure proper crediting of viewing. Both Program Content and Final Distributor codes co-exist, resulting in audio content that is multi-level watermarked. Nielsen®’s household meters detect and decode these watermarks to identify viewership. Additionally, the patented Automated Measurement of Lineups (AMOL) technology is inserted in the VBI portion of the video and employs multi-level tracking capabilities similar to its audio counterpart.

The platform offers a place for live production professionals to come together to share their experiences, solve problems, find answers to questions and discuss best practices.

Nielsen® has a 90-year legacy in providing clarity for their clients around the global consumer. Nielsen® knows what consumers watch – and what they buy – and more significantly they provide intelligence to help their clients understand these behaviors in relation to their business. Nielsen® is dedicated to innovative methodologies and technologies, allowing them to be at the forefront of how they capture consumer behavior, which is integral to their clients’ business growth.

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