Nielsen Reports Increase In Profit

Media-ratings firm Nielsen NV increased its fourth-quarter profit as customers began to adapt its new tools for measuring digital viewership. Results were above analysts' expectations.

 Nielsen has been under fire from some networks for a methodology they say isn't adapting quickly enough to changing media-consumption habits such as smartphone viewing and streaming media.

Nielsen recently launched its "total audience measurement" framework that tracks viewership across live TV, DVRs, streaming devices and video on demand. These new products haven't yet become the near-universally used industry standard like its TV ratings. Still in Nielsen's Watch segment for media producers and advertisers, revenue rose 2.8%, or 5.2% adjusted for currency fluctuations, driven by adoption of the new tools.

In December, Nielsen authorized a new share buyback program of up to $500 million. In January, Steve Hasker added chief operating officer to his title, becoming Nielsen's global president and COO.