A New Ratings System Could Be Coming to Netflix

A new ratings system could be coming to Netflix in an effort to even the playing field, The Hollywood Reporter shares.

Nielsen, the biggest name in TV ratings, is aiming to provide some more insight to Netflix’s viewership, numbers that have previously been kept close to the chest by the streaming service.

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To do so, the company has launched SVOD measurement, which is already being used by eight media companies, including Disney-ABC, Warner Bros. and NBCUniversal. Similar to traditional Nielsen numbers, the data comes from audio codes within programming.

“It’s about shedding light on a large area of viewership that people have been blind to,” explained Brian Fuhrer, senior VP product leadership at Nielsen. “We’ve gone public with some insights already, but the logical thing you’ll see next is how all of these big Netflix launches rank against linear TV.”

While Nielsen is currently forbidden from going public with its data due to agreements, it’s likely that that will eventually happen. The information could impact things like talent contracts and library deals, although Netflix is unlikely to authenticate any numbers it does not provide.

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“It’s hard to believe that this won’t change the business,” said a TV executive who has seen the data. “But if I were Netflix, I’d be saying that it’s not right. Because it’s not yet. It’s not complete.”

Mobile data, which can account for a large number of Netflix streams, is currently missing, although Fuhrer said Nielsen aims to eventually discover all of Netflix’s numbers.

Photo Credit: Netflix