Nielsen working on ‘fused’ TV-web ratings

Nielsen is buying the remaining 39.5 percent stake in Nielsen-Netratings and moving ahead with plans to provide a “fusion” ratings service that combines the TV sample with comparable people in an online sample. “The fusion process matches panelists based on common demographics, including age, sex, household income, household education and region of country, to link the two databases, thereby providing a comprehensive picture of consumers’ television and online activities,” said Nielsen CEO Susan Whiting. A six-month test begins in January. (Free reg. req.)