1. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Metered Market Initiatives Area Probability & Telephone Frame Improvement Plans

2. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Research Approach Develop an environment that allows for continuous testing of methodological improvements to Metered Samples aimed at improving: –Sample representation –Response rates –Accuracy of the reported estimates

3. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Research Plan Establish an Internal Meter Task Force –Identify and implement test opportunities Set Meter (TF and AP) Peoplemeter (LPM and NPM) –Representation from Field, Marketing, Statistical and Methodological Research

4. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Response Rate Initiatives

5. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Field Initiatives

6. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Sample Composition and Fault Rate Research

7. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 TF Research Goal: Review and modify procedures aimed at improving enumeration response rates Hired Paul Biemer, Ph.D., from RTI Specializes in the design and analysis of studies to evaluate alternative survey designs - mode, interviewers, questionnaires and questioning methods and nonresponse

8. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 TF Research Recommendations –Strategies and Techniques for Avoiding Refusals - Train Interviewers in Methods –Redesign Call Monitoring Process - More Frequent Monitoring - Frequent Interviewer Feedback –Revise Enumeration Introduction and Send Advanced Letters where Possible –Revise Enumeration Questionnaire

9. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 TF Research –Conduct Analyses of Telephone Administrative and Call Management Systems Data - Feedback Results to Interviewers –Revise Telephone Number Sampling Scheme - Consider Elimination of Empty Hundred Number Blocks –Evaluate Effects of Predictive Dialer

10. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 TF Research –Create Team of SUPeR (Special Unit for Persuading Refusers) Interviewers –Consider Longevity Bonuses as way of Retaining Experienced Interviewers

11. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 TF Research Next Steps –June meeting between Stat and Dr. Biemer, decided to focus on recommendations 1-4 –RTI staff member assigned to project Assist in developing a revised questionnaire Develop new introductions and related procedures Develop a refusal training module Assist in the development of a pre-enumeration survey letter

12. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 TF Research Next Steps (Cont’d) –July-August meetings held to review questionnaire and the feasibility of eliminating questions –Data and sampling documentation supplied to RTI in early September –Dr. Biemer attended NMR interviewer training in late Sept. –Goal is to test changes during enumerations conducted in Q1/01

13. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Membership Rep Basic Recruitment Goal: To increase the basic install rate utilizing in-person recruitment Household address collected during enumeration Membership Reps follow standard in-person recruitment procedures established in AP –Advance mailing sent by Membership Rep –No advance phone call –Gift at the door

14. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Membership Rep Basic Recruitment Implemented in 6 lowest performing TF markets Timetable: Began June 21, 2000 Establishing/documenting procedural details for roll-out Results: Monthly reports comparing pre and post response rates will begin issuing in late September

15. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Advanced Mailing to Basics Goal: Improve Cooperation among Basic households –Brochure to No Knowledge HHs (from Enumeration) –Introductory Letter only to Yes Knowledge HHs (from Enum) Timetable: Began 8/31/00, continue for one year.

16. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Household Incentive Test Goal: Determine most effective incentive strategy for improving response rates –Monetary versus non-monetary –OTO versus on-going –Differential incentives Development of test plan (4Q/00) Begin test execution (2Q/01 - earliest)

17. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Persuader Study Goal: –Determine best persuasion techniques for panel recruitment Method: – Level of interest question asked during large phone survey along with various statements influencing willingness to participate –Level of interest question asked during TF enumeration to determine which levels are more likely to result in installs

18. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Flow of Communication to Panel Members Goal: Review all forms of communication to panel members to determine where changes could improve response rates –Priority Mailers to households –Panel agreement –Customized basic refusal letters –Style and content of pre-package materials

19. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Flow of Communication to Panel Members Use Membership Reps to obtain panel member feedback Develop proposals (4Q/00) Implement changes or develop test plans (1Q/01)

20. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Refusing Households Focus Groups Goal: Gather reasons why households refuse to participate in panel surveys and determine if recruitment modifications could lead to cooperation increases Develop plan (4Q/00) Conduct focus groups (1Q/01)

21. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Revising BRIC Goal: Improve coop of prior refusing basics (6 months or older) Investigate and test: –New materials –New incentives –New persuaders Develop plan (1Q/01)

22. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Refusal Specialists Goal: Identify high potential Membership Rep specialists Develop a formal database to track individual effectiveness –Determine whether a small number of MR’s can be used as refusal specialists –Track impact of initial attempts versus refusal attempts –Test and track modifications to BRL with incentives (Basic Refusal Letter) Develop plan (4Q/00)

23. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Membership Rep Training / Focus Groups Goal: Enhance current training curriculum / approach for Membership Reps –Use MR Best practices –Conduct focus groups among MR’s (4Q/00) –Instituting certification and re-certification process (1Q/01)

24. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Mailing to Accepting Households Goal: Reduce “backouts” by mailing materials to accepting households which cannot be installed within 2 weeks –Materials implemented in September 2000 –Dimension “Backout” percentages pre and post implementation –Develop plan for investigating inclusion of monetary incentives in package (4Q/00)

25. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Floating Match Concept Current procedures: alternate must match refusing basic on presence of non-adults and cable/ADS status Goal: Drops fixed requirements and determine matching requirements based on current sample imbalances Dimension feasibility, effort, tradeoffs and benefits (4Q/00)

26. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Edit Rules & Fault Conditions Goals –Perform comprehensive review of meter faults and edit rules with the goal of finding ways to improve intab rates –Provide mechanism for continuous improvement

27. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Edit Rules & Fault Conditions Improvement Areas –Field and coaching procedures –Engineering and technological solutions –Threshold changes –Computational solutions Task Force formed –Complete investigation & recommendations (4Q/01)

28. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Diary Initiatives Implementation and Testing Plans

29. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Diary Initiatives 4Implemented –Increased Incentives to Refusers / No Contacts $5.00 Incentive 52% increase in coop in May 2000 15.99% coop vs. expected delivery of 10.49%

30. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Diary Initiatives 2000-01 Initiatives –Improved Audience Imputation Model 4More Accurate Demo Ratings –Over-sampling for Age of Head < 35 4Improved Sample Representation –Program Names Editing 4More Accurate Viewing Credit –Priority Mail Packaging 4Higher Response Rates

31. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Diary Initiatives Priority Mail Increases Cooperation –July 1999 Test Summary: Priority Mail Envelope with Standard Incentive to Accepting Households +13.5 + 5.1 absolute points Priority Mail Envelope w/$5 Incentive to Refusals/No- Contacts +14.8 + 4.0 absolute points –November 2000 Test Age Distribution and Incentives

32. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Diary Initiatives Fall 2000 Testing –October Advanced letter mentioning incentive (non-Ethnics) Diary example/instructions on Web site –November Priority Mail to younger homes Ask origin question in recruitment call, mail $5 incentive and bilingual materials

33. Copyright 2000 - Nielsen Media Research TVB: October 25, 2000 Thank You!