Nielsen tests new method to measure shared TV viewership

Nielsen said it is testing a new measurement method aimed at more accurately capturing co-viewing, or instances where multiple people watch television together, particularly during live events.

The audience measurement company said the pilot will begin with Super Bowl LX, airing on NBC on February 8, 2026, and will continue across select high-profile sports and entertainment broadcasts in the first half of the year. Initial findings from the pilot are expected to be released a few weeks after Nielsen publishes its final Big Data + Panel ratings, which remain the industry standard.

Speaking of the development, Karthik Rao, CEO, Nielsen, said, “Nielsen’s mission is to constantly push measurement forward and deliver the most accurate data ever. This co-viewing pilot builds on that mission, alongside our recent enhancements with Big Data + Panel, out of home expansion, live streaming measurement and our wearable devices. Our clients produce live TV events that get the world watching. It’s our job to make sure we are accurately counting the audiences they meticulously build.” 

The pilot relies more heavily on its proprietary wearable devices, which are worn by panel members and resemble smartwatches. The devices capture audio from television programming, allowing Nielsen to identify viewing without requiring viewers to actively log their watching habits.

The new approach is designed to improve how shared viewing is reflected in audience totals, especially for live programming that often draws group audiences.

The results from the pilot will not immediately be included in its Big Data + Panel ratings and will not be used as official ‘currency’ for advertising transactions. However, the data will be shared with Nielsen clients after the standard ratings are released, and clients will be allowed to make the findings public.

It plans to provide additional impact data later this year, with the aim of fully integrating the co-viewing methodology into its ratings products for the 2026-27 season.