May 2018 marks the last diary measurement by Nielsen. This is truly an end of an era, but media buyers everywhere aren’t mourning. Nope. They’re celebrating!

Nielsen has phased out diary book measurement that in the past has occurred only during the Sweeps months of February, May, July and November. They are now fully shifting to a digital methodology that will release 12 months out of the year. Beginning this year, Nielsen began to transition its 140 small markets out of the diary measurement into electronic data sources. This major undertaking was done by Nielsen in two phases, with May 2018 being the last of diary measurements.

The diary measurement was a method in which Nielsen chose families to record all programming watched by members of its household. Nielsen panel families relied on recalled viewing of family members and written completion of a viewing Nielsen Diary. The ratings from these four sweeps were they best trending point for TV buyers to project ratings. Diary survey respondent’s dedication to detail, or lack of, could make a big impact in program ratings and currency. When buying in a non-sweeps period, the media buyer of these small markets had no actual ratings data. Nothing. Nada.

This new methodology is like Christmas morning for media buyers. No longer do buyers have to blindly guestimate ratings for sports and specials that fall outside of the Sweeps periods. Now measurement data in these 140 markets will show ratings for programs like March Madness, Preseason Football and even the Hallmark holiday movies which fall outside of the Sweeps periods.
Buyers will now have insight into program ratings that they have never seen in these smaller markets. This new passively collected data form of measurement is an exciting change that will provide ratings stability. Media buyers, like myself, are raising their glasses to this change. Salut!

Update: On May 31st, Nielsen announced that the release of new methodology for the 137 diary markets will be moved from June to July, 2018.