2-STATION GROUP ATTACKS NIELSEN DIARY RATINGS
John Tupper, principal owner of 2 small-market Fox TV affiliates -- WVSX Lewisburg, W.Va., and KNDX Bismarck, N.D., launched frontal attack on Nielsen ratings for markets with only diaries, charging company “as a monopoly provider is knowingly issuing inaccurate ratings books in diary-only markets.” Station executives in several Nielsen nonmetered markets agreed to some degree with Tupper’s charges. He made presentation last fall to NAB’s Committee for Local TV Audience Measurements (COLTAM) and last month to Assn. of Local TV Stations (ALTV) board. Nielsen said it had no comment.
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Ratings in diary markets are “heavily inconsistent [and] too volatile,” said William Sullivan, pres.-gen. mgr. of WSBT-TV South Bend. And, he said, “it’s almost impossible to get answers from Nielsen.” Ralph Oakley, whose WVVA Bluefield, W.Va., is in same Nielsen DMA as WVSX, told us: “John is not alone” in his criticisms of Nielsen diaries and “there’s some validity to those claims.” George Izie of Media Rating Council said Tupper’s crusade against Nielsen had “really heightened our awareness of small-market concerns… He has made a lot of good points.” Now, we were told, the major question facing Nielsen and TV stations: “Is there a better way to do it that is economically feasible? Tupper has effectively focused attention on the issue.”
Tupper’s principal complaint is that diaries greatly underreport viewing by blacks and 18-34 year-olds. In metered markets, he said, Fox (with predominance of young viewers) ratings are 40% higher than in diary-measured markets, while CBS dominance with older viewers gives that network distorted high figures in diary ratings. In letter to Sen. Conrad (D-N.D.), Tupper charged Nielsen deliberately issued inaccurate figures “for the sole purpose of using its monopoly power to induce stations to agree to pay higher fees” for meters in their markets.
Nielsen has “conveniently done nothing to respond to the charges,” Tupper told us. “Nielsen is trafficking in data they know would not be acceptable in any scientific forum.” He said Nielsen could and should immediately do following: (1) Increase incentive to respondents to return diaries (now $1-$5 in most cases). (2) Change format of dairy to simple check-off procedure for local programs viewed. (3) Adjust data from diaries based on telephone surveys and use same methods as those for metered markets. He said Nielsen’s alleged “unwillingness” to adequately measure young people and African Americans “forces television broadcasters to avoid programming to these audiences.”
Following Tupper’s presentation to COLTAM, that group surveyed all commercial TV stations -- metered and nonmetered markets alike. Coltam Chmn. Tom McClendon had terse “no comment” when asked about Tupper’s charges and survey. However, results have been tabulated and are expected to be sent to Nielsen, probably this week, after which joint discussions will follow. ALTV official said of Tupper’s presentation to that group’s board in Las Vegas 2 weeks ago: “We're looking at it… No commitments have been made.”