Nielsen and TiVO have signed a monitoring deal to see what the heck people are doing with those things, or something:
- Nielsen Media Research has signed a deal with TiVo that will allow the media-monitoring firm to track consumers’ digital video recorder use, according to the companies.
DVRs are computer-based systems that record and store TV programs for future viewing. They are largely used by consumers who want to watch certain programs at a time most convenient to them. The devices also allow users to fast-forward past commercials.
There are currently about 3 million DVR users in the U.S., said Josh Bernoff, vice president and principal analyst at Forester Research. TiVo said it has 1 million subscribers.
….According to a statement released by the two companies, TiVo and Nielsen will collect data on a permission basis, utilizing an “opt-in” panel that allows users to volunteer to be monitored. The new service will collect data on approximately 5,000 to 10,000 TiVo users. [AdAge]