New York, NY – Oct. 29, 2020 – Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) and Cunningham Broadcasting Inc. in Baltimore, Md., have reached a multi-year renewal agreement for local TV measurement. Cunningham Broadcasting is subscribing to local market data for stations including WATM-ABC, WWCP-FOX (Johnstown-Altoona-St College PA) and WTAT-FOX (Charleston-SC). The new agreement also includes the industry leading Nielsen Scarborough local qualitative service.

“We are excited to be working with Nielsen again,” said Michael Anderson, President of Cunningham Broadcasting Inc. “The suite of products and services will benefit us and our clients tremendously.” 

The Cunningham stations are committed to community service and public affairs through local news, weather, sports and original programming across traditional broadcast and digital platforms in Pennsylvania and South Carolina. 

“We’re pleased to welcome WATM-ABC, WWCP-FOX and WTAT-FOX back to Nielsen and to our enhanced Local TV audience data measurement capabilities, and we look forward to working with them to support their success in these unprecedented times,” said Catherine Herkovic, EVP and Managing Director, Nielsen Local. “Our core data, as well as the Scarborough qualitative information, will assist them in helping local advertisers know where to find their target consumers.

“We also recently announced the addition of Comcast return-path data (RPD) to measurement in 47 RPD+ markets effective in January 2021,” added Herkovic. “The addition of these data to the measurement of these markets brings increased sample size and stability as well as reliability of the data. With Nielsen’s currency-grade, representative measurement, the stations will be well positioned to demonstrate the full value of their linear, over-the-air and digital audiences to accelerate growth.”

Last October, Nielsen announced that it had completed a major transformation of its Local Television business combining advanced meter technology, big data and people-powered panels into its local TV measurement service. This announcement of enhanced currency measurement marked the capstone of a comprehensive overhaul across 208 local markets.