Ratings giant Nielsen had major egg on its face Friday as the company admitted a months-long software glitch is forcing it to recalculate viewership figures for the fall season.
Nielsen boss Steve Hasker said the error caused ratings numbers to be attributed to the wrong network, and that 98.5 percent of shows were affected by less than 0.05 percent of a ratings point.
ABC seems to have been the main beneficiary of the glitch, with the network seeing big jumps from their Fast National to live + same day final numbers, according to Broadcasting & Cable.
That means ABC is expected to see their ratings for the current season take a dip when Nielsen issues corrected figures.
Nielsen told a press briefing on Friday to say that the problem began in March, but had not been detected until recently when the huge influx of viewers for the new season caused viewership numbers to climb. The glitch was corrected on October 6.
Broadcast networks have already received revised ratings, which will be released to the public on Monday.
Read More: Broadcasting & Cable
Brief Take: Friday’s acknowledgment is a major embarrassment for Nielsen, whose data forms the cornerstone of the system by which advertisers determine how much money to pay to the networks. The error could prompt even more calls for change from an industry that increasingly sees Nielsen as ill-suited to the shifting media landscape.
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