Nielsen can now measure Amazon Prime Video stats but there’s a catch

Nielsen has shared that it now has the ability to measure Amazon Prime Video viewing stats. However, there is a catch to this ability.

Nielsen has always been limited to tracking live viewer ratings and some delayed ratings through the networks. However, in recent years, it’s brought in a way to track through subscription services, specifically Netflix. Now, Nielsen can track the viewer ratings for Amazon Prime Video shows and movies, but there is a catch.

According to Non Perele, Nielsen is able to track the ratings through its Subscription Video on Demand Content Ratings solution. This was launched two years ago for Netflix and was supposed to be available for Amazon in 2018. It’s been delayed, but better late than never, right?

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However, there are limitations to the ability. Only those in the United States are tracked for viewing purposes. This is a limit for subscription services since many programs and movies are available worldwide. However, it does allow more content creators a better understanding of how their programs are doing and how their competitors are faring to decide if Amazon Prime is the place to put content.

That being said, the Nielsen tracking is only via those who watch on TV screens. It doesn’t track any viewership through PCs, smartphones, and tablets. This is the same as Netflix, which claims severely limits Nielsen’s accuracy.

In all honesty, it probably doesn’t. While there are certainly some who watch through smaller screens, many will cast to their TV screens. We like to be able to watch clearly and in comfort, right?

Either way, just tracking this percentage of viewers, whether big or small, gives content creators an idea. It also makes the subscription services more transparent, a problem that many have. After all, Amazon Prime can say it’s canceling a show because of low viewing figures, but how do we know that this is the case. There are often more times than not that there’s plenty of social support and outcry. Don’t those figures on social media translate to viewership on Amazon? With the Nielsen ratings we’ll get a chance to find out.

What do you think about Nielsen being able to track viewing figures? Would you like more transparency from Amazon? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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