Tomás Rivera Policy Institute Review Of Nielsen’s Methodology.

Nielsen Media Research released a review by the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI), the nation’s premier independent Latino policy research organization, of the Rincón and Associates “Latino Television Study” conducted on behalf of the National Latino Media Council’s (NLMC). TRPI concluded the study did not provide tangible evidence that Nielsen undercounts Latino viewers.

The TRPI team that reviewed the controversial survey found no documented proof to support assertions that People Meters do not reliably measure Latino viewing behavior. Moreover, the study determined that Rincon’s own study sample was less accurate than the NLMC had claimed in numerous news accounts. However, Harry Pachon, Ph.D., TRPI President cautioned that “media organizations like Nielsen and Rincón need to be mindful of the changing demographics and nuances that are present in our minority communities.”

According to TRPI: “[T]he Latino Television Study (by Rincon) does not provide conclusive evidence that warrants its criticism against the Nielsen methodology.” The authors of the TRPI review added that “we do not find convincing the Rincón and Associates’ claim that their approach resulted in a better estimate of Latino television viewing patterns and that Nielsen under-estimates the number of Latinos watching any specific show. In our view, Rincón and Associates’ Latino Television Study does not seem to have offered the kind of precision and rigor that they claim to present.”

“The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute confirms Nielsen’s commitment to fully and fairly representing all television audiences,” said Susan Whiting, President and CEO of Nielsen Media Research. “Nielsen has a solid history of working with Latino leaders to ensure their communities are correctly counted, and we will continue to listen, and work with, all interested parties to make certain the system always provides the most accurate and most representative measurements of the nation’s diverse TV audiences.”
TRPI Study Finds Flaws in Rincón and Associates’ Methodology
Among the conclusions of the TRPI study:

” Rincón and Associates’ use of a single survey was an ineffective strategy to test the validity of some of the NLMC’s concerns regarding Nielsen’s measurements of Latino viewing patterns.
” Rincón’s sample, which was built from a small number of cities, was less likely than Nielsen’s larger sample of media markets to lead to a more representative sample of national Latino viewing patterns.
” The number of times Rincón called back unanswered phone numbers was less than normally done in most scholarly surveys.
” The design of Rincón’s questionnaire raised issues about how the company initially communicated with respondents.

Recommendations for More Effective Latino Samples

TRPI also offered several recommendations to Nielsen and any other organizations that measures Latino television viewing patterns on how to provide more effective samples. These include:

” Being mindful of the size of Latino samples in local television markets, especially outside of Los Angeles and Miami.
” As mixed-ethnicity households in America expand, making methodological changes that capture Latinos living in non-Hispanic-headed households as defined by the US Census sample frame.
” Initiating interviews in the preferred language of the household when it is obvious what that language is.
” Providing full transparency in describing the methodological approach, including any problems encountered, such as non-responses or refusals to participate.

Nielsen already has been proactive in addressing issues raised by TRPI. The company has increased the size of Latino samples in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago to ensure its ratings are more representative of this audience group. It has improved incentives and recruitment methods to encourage greater participation among people of color. At the same time, Nielsen has hired a diverse team of field representatives who reflect the communities in which they work.

To view report CLICK below(Adobe Acrobat Reader required):

http://www.nielsenmedia.com/TRPI_FINAL.pdf