A 21-year-old broadcast television station licensee with a significant presence across six markets in the eastern U.S. has taken a significant step in its operations. This licensee, which operates five of its stations through a shared services agreement with Gray Media, has recently renewed and expanded its multi-year services agreement for local TV measurement with Nielsen. This move is set to have a profound impact on the way these stations measure and understand their audiences.

Why the Choice of Nielsen?

The freshly signed agreement with American Spirit Media, founded by Thomas B. Henson in Charlotte, makes Nielsen its lone supplier of audience measurement, data, and analytics for its collection of broadcast TV stations. All of American Spirit’s TV properties enjoy shared services agreements. One such agreement is with TEGNA, and it involves WUPW “FOX36” in Toledo. The remaining five properties are operated via a shared services agreement with Gray, including WXTX “FOX54” in Columbus, Ga.; WSFX-TV in Wilmington, N.C.; WDBD-40 in Jackson, Miss.; KVHP-29 in Lake Charles, La.; and KAUZ-6 in Wichita Falls, Tex.This new agreement with the six stations also includes an “expanded set” of Nielsen Local TV products, such as Ad Intel, which is Nielsen’s Local media advertising aid. As President/CEO of the company, Thomas B. Henson expressed his satisfaction, stating, “American Spirit Media is pleased to use Nielsen’s industry-trusted Local TV ratings and ad intelligence to power our content and advertising strategies across all of our markets. In an increasingly fragmented environment, having the right measurement partner is essential in order to make meaningful decisions and optimize successful strategies for our stations and our advertisers in the years to come.”

The Importance of Local TV Measurement

Local TV measurement plays a crucial role in the success of broadcast television stations. It provides valuable insights into audience behavior, preferences, and viewing patterns. With the help of Nielsen’s Local TV ratings and ad intelligence, stations like American Spirit Media can better understand their viewers and tailor their content and advertising strategies accordingly. This leads to more targeted advertising campaigns and increased viewer engagement.For example, by analyzing the data provided by Nielsen, stations can identify the most popular shows and time slots, allowing them to schedule their programming more effectively. They can also gain insights into the demographics and interests of their viewers, enabling them to attract more relevant advertisers. Moreover, the expanded set of Nielsen Local TV products, such as Ad Intel, offers additional tools for stations to optimize their advertising strategies and measure the effectiveness of their campaigns.

The Impact on Advertising

The partnership between American Spirit Media and Nielsen also has significant implications for advertising. In an increasingly competitive advertising landscape, having accurate and reliable measurement data is essential for advertisers to make informed decisions about where to allocate their budgets. With Nielsen’s Local TV ratings and ad intelligence, advertisers can gain a better understanding of the reach and impact of their ads on local TV audiences.This allows advertisers to target their campaigns more precisely and measure the return on investment (ROI) of their advertising efforts. For instance, advertisers can use Nielsen’s data to identify the stations and time slots with the highest viewership among their target demographics. They can then focus their advertising efforts on these specific areas, increasing the likelihood of reaching their intended audience and achieving better results.Furthermore, the innovation and investment required to measure the dynamic Local TV landscape remain central to Nielsen’s mission. With partners like American Spirit Media, Nielsen is able to continue to develop and improve its measurement tools and services, providing even more value to both stations and advertisers.

The Future of Local TV

The renewed and expanded services agreement between American Spirit Media and Nielsen signals a positive outlook for the future of local TV. As the media landscape continues to evolve and become more fragmented, having a reliable measurement partner like Nielsen is crucial for stations to stay competitive and make informed decisions.With the right measurement data, stations can adapt their strategies to meet the changing needs and preferences of their viewers. They can explore new content formats and distribution channels, while also optimizing their advertising partnerships. This will help them to attract more viewers and advertisers, and ultimately drive revenue growth.In conclusion, the partnership between American Spirit Media and Nielsen represents a significant milestone in the local TV industry. It provides stations with the tools and insights they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive environment, while also offering advertisers a more targeted and effective advertising platform. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how this partnership shapes the future of local TV.