Boston Globe Media and Nielsen to Conduct Unique Cross-Platform Diversity and Inclusion Brand Study

Journalistic Integrity and Commitment to Community Primary Focus

BOSTON/NEW YORK (May 19, 2021) —  Today, Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) and Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC (BGMP) announced the launch of a custom and proprietary cross-platform study that will help the New England-based metro organization strengthen its brand position and foster better engagement among local communities.

The study, commissioned by BGMP and designed in partnership with Nielsen, will enable the media organization, particularly its nearly 150-year old daily newspaper, The Boston Globe, to develop a deeper understanding of its readers and potential subscribers. Nielsen will conduct interviews across a diverse range of ethnicities, ages, gender identities and socio-economic backgrounds and will provide potential strategies for the organization and its advertising partners to develop more engaging content and attract new audiences. 

“We are at a transformative moment in the media industry,” said Peggy Byrd, Chief Marketing Officer at Boston Globe Media. “To ensure that we reflect the rich diversity of our city and region, we want to invite our readers and potential readers in by activating stronger relationships with our brands within the communities we serve. By leveraging Nielsen’s data, insights, and its accurate representation of diverse audiences, we’ll develop a deeper understanding of our true market characteristics and will be in an even better position to serve our communities with content that resonates and drives stronger engagement.”

Nielsen will be conducting this custom study with the goal of delivering greater understanding of the brand position and perception of Boston Globe Media properties in a long term effort to strengthen relationships and reader engagement.  In addition, the Boston Globe has renewed its multi-market agreement for Nielsen Scarborough, Scarborough Fusion and PrimeLingo. Nielsen Scarborough is a leading provider of local market consumer and audience data in the U.S. 

“The Boston Globe serves a diverse, urban and regional community and we are excited to work with them to provide key audience measurement metrics and insights to support their success,” said Sandra Sims-Williams, Nielsen’s Chief Diversity Officer. “Nielsen is the only company that can offer truly diverse and representative measurement capturing audiences that reflect the rich fabric of our country. As part of our client commitment, we work with local, regional and global businesses to ensure they have the market intelligence they need to support their industry and community partners while achieving their business objectives.”

Linda Henry, Chief Executive Officer of Boston Globe Media Partners, provided some big-picture perspective ahead of the study’s launch: “Boston Globe Media holds a crucial role in our community, with a commitment to reflect the vibrancy of Boston and all of our region through our journalism. The mission of independent, local public journalism could not be more important, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Nielsen to facilitate this study as we focus on connecting our award-winning content to more audiences as well as finding more inclusive and meaningful ways of engaging with the communities we serve.”

The new study is one facet of many ongoing initiatives launched by Boston Globe Media Partners to operate through a more inclusive lens. In January 2021, the Globe launched the Fresh Start initiative to examine past coverage and ensure that its journalism does not perpetuate inequities or have an unjust negative impact on a person’s life. On the business side, BGMP’s Support Black Owned initiative continues to provide complimentary advertising space for local Black owned businesses and the recent Black History Month Film festival attracted one of the largest recorded audiences for a GlobeDocs screening.