CBS Going Without Nielsen TV Ratings

On October 1, Paramount Global’s contract with ratings provider Nielsen expired without a renewal agreement. As a result, Paramount Global networks including broadcast network CBS and such cable channels as Nickelodeon and Comedy Central will not have access to Nielsen ratings. Variety, which broke the story, reported the two companies have been negotiating but were unable to come to an agreement. The primary sticking point was cost, according to Forbes.

In contacting media agencies John Halley, president of Paramount ad sales wrote, “Disengaging from Nielsen is not our first choice, and we remain hopeful for a resolution. We are asking for your partnership as we navigate this situation.” Halley added, “In certain instances, Nielsen’s fees already exceed the total advertising revenue of the network being measured. This has led us to conclude that the model, as proposed, is not workable, and that the cost structure requires re-engineering.”

In January 2019 Nielsen and CBS had failed to come to a renewal agreement which led to an impasse that lasted 11 days. CBS claimed Nielsen’s audience measurement was inadequate in a multi-platform environment and was too costly. Fast forward to 2024 and there continues to be frustration with Nielsen’s measurement capabilities from CBS and content providers, especially with streaming platforms and mobile. Nielsen said, "We look forward to working with Paramount on a new agreement."

CBS inability to access Nielsen’s ratings comes at a time when its new prime time schedule had just started and the NFL season is in its fifth week. Moreover, CBS was unable to access Nielsen ratings for the lone vice-presidential debate between Tim Walz and J.D. Vance, which the network had hosted. (For the debate, which was simulcast on several networks, Nielsen reported CBS had averaged 9.14 million viewers.) Despite continued audience erosion, CBS, using Nielsen data, has been the top-rated primetime network for 16 consecutive broadcast seasons.