Nielsen Television Audience Measurement

  • Ever wondered



    where television Ratings come from?

Who is Nielsen Television Audience Measurement?

Nielsen Television Audience Measurement Australia (Nielsen TAM), an affiliate of Nielsen, was originally established in 1999 as ATR Australia, later becoming AGB Nielsen Media Research, part of the global AGB Group. Originally awarded a seven-year contract to produce Television Audience Measurement (TAM) in the five major Australian metropolitan markets from 1 January 2001, Nielsen TAM has since been awarded multiple contracts to continue to produce metropolitan and regional market TAM data, as well as continuing to report Subscription Television as of August 2003. The company was renamed Nielsen Television Audience Measurement in 2010 following the full acquisition of AGB by Nielsen, the largest provider of TAM services in the world.

Earn Points and Get Great Rewards

Our Gift Programme is our way to thank our Panel Members for being part of the Nielsen Television Audience Measurement Panel

Redeem points for Nielsen eGift Cards from a wide range of stores such as supermarkets, Myer, Caltex and more.
The Nielsen eGift cards can also be donated to charities such as Habitat for Humanity and Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

How it Works

Watch the video and see what it’s like to be a panel member

Frequently Asked Questions

Nielsen Television Audience Measurement Australia (Nielsen TAM), an affiliate of Nielsen, was originally established in 1999 as ATR Australia, later becoming AGB Nielsen Media Research, part of the global AGB Group. Originally awarded a seven-year contract to produce Television Audience Measurement (TAM) in the five major Australian metropolitan markets from 1 January 2001, Nielsen TAM has since been awarded multiple contracts to continue to produce metropolitan and regional market TAM data, as well as continuing to report Subscription Television as of August 2003. The company was renamed Nielsen Television Audience Measurement in 2010 following the full acquisition of AGB by Nielsen, the largest provider of TAM services in the world.
Over 65,000 households are randomly interviewed per year and we then select households like yours to represent the diversity and demographics of the Australian population.
Participation involves having a box, known as a ‘Peoplemeter’, linked to each TV in your home to capture your TV viewing. A handset is provided with every Peoplemeter. It allows each member of the household to log in by pressing their individually assigned button, so we can allocate viewing to the right demographic. You may also receive maintenance calls and routine surveys to ensure data accuracy.
Our equipment collects four pieces of information:
  • Whether the TV is on or not
  • Who is watching
  • What is being watched
  • The time and date of the viewing
Every day, we download your viewing data via a ‘polling process’ that normally works through your telephone line. It is a silent, cost-free process, and it won’t interrupt any of your telephone calls. You will still be able to make and receive calls during this period. If you don’t have a telephone line, we can provide equipment that allows us to collect the data without one.
Apart from the chance to influence Australia’s television programming, we also have a gift programme. You will accumulate points every day that you are on the panel, which can be used in exchange for selected gifts.
Privacy protection of our panel members is extremely important. Our privacy statement outlines how we collect, store and use personal information. Click here to view our full privacy statement
Participants of the Nielsen Television Audience Measurement Panel are selected from a large-scale telephone survey conducted to define the population to be represented and its characteristics. The participants of this telephone survey are contacted by random selection of telephone numbers. Potential panel homes are then selected from these participants according to specific statistical criteria to ensure a representative sample of the Australian population.
Should your home be contacted, be sure to register your interest and you may receive another call from Nielsen Television Audience Measurement inviting you join to the TV Ratings Panel.
1800 502 206
MONDAY - THURSDAY: 9AM - 10PM
FRIDAY: 9AM - 8PM
SATURDAY: 12PM - 5PM
SUNDAY: 1PM - 5PM

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