Nielsen Corporation facts for kids
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Formerly
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Marketing research |
| Founded | 1923 in Chicago, Illinois |
| Headquarters | New York City, United States |
| Revenue |  US$3.53 billion (2022) (2022) |
| Parent | Nielsen Holdings (since 2010) |
The Nielsen Corporation is a big company that studies what people watch on TV, listen to on the radio, and buy in stores. It helps other companies understand what customers like. This company is also known as The Nielsen Company. It used to be called ACNielsen.
Nielsen started in 1923 in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded by Arthur C. Nielsen Sr.. His goal was to give businesses clear facts about how well their ads and sales plans were working. Today, Nielsen works in more than 100 countries around the world. Its main office is in New York City, United States. Since 2010, it has been part of Nielsen Holdings.
Contents
How Nielsen Measures Audiences
One of Nielsen's most famous creations is the Nielsen ratings. This system measures how many people are watching TV, listening to the radio, or reading newspapers. It helps media companies know how popular their shows or articles are.
Measuring TV Viewers
In 1950, Nielsen started measuring TV audiences. They bought a company called C. E. Hooper. Nielsen then put special recording devices on about 1,200 TVs in homes across the United States. These devices used film to record which channels people watched. This helped them figure out how many people were watching different shows.
Later, Nielsen developed new ways to collect this information. They started using electronic methods. This made it easier and faster to get the data. In 1996, the part of the company that measured TV audiences became a separate business. It was called Nielsen Media Research.
Tracking Shopping Habits
Another important tool Nielsen uses is the Homescan program. In this program, families track everything they buy at grocery stores and other shops. They use a special scanner to record their purchases. This helps Nielsen understand what people are buying and why.
The Homescan program is used in many countries. These include Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It helps companies see how different types of households buy products.
Digital Media Tracking
Nielsen also looks at how people use the internet and other digital media. They have sister companies like Nielsen//NetRatings. This company measures who is using websites and apps. Another company, Nielsen BuzzMetrics, looks at what people are saying online. This includes comments on social media and other websites.
Nielsen in Different Countries
Nielsen works all over the world. In Germany, for example, they created something called "Nielsen areas." These are regions that have similar economies, cultures, and shopping habits.
Businesses in Germany often use these Nielsen areas to plan their marketing. They might even place ads in newspapers or magazines that only appear in certain areas. This helps them target their products to the right people.
Company Changes Over Time
In 2001, Nielsen was bought by a company called VNU. This meant Nielsen Media Research and ACNielsen were now under the same owner. Later, in 2007, VNU changed its name to "The Nielsen Company".
In January 2021, Nielsen separated one of its parts into a new company. This new company is called NielsenIQ. It focuses on data and analytics.
Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., the son of the company's founder, took over the business from his father. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 92.
See also
- Nielsen Holdings
