Nielsen is testing a new tool that lets TV networks track viewing of shows on their websites.
The tool, called “Nielsen Digital Program Ratings,” will primarily allow networks track viewing of the shows that they stream on their own websites.
Pilot partners include Fox, NBC, ABC, Univision, Discovery and A+E. AOL is the only digital video company participating in the pilot; Hulu and YouTube aren’t participating yet.
The tool will open to other firms later this year.
The tool doesn’t yet account for viewing on mobile devices, and the pilot doesn’t include viewing on sites like Hulu and YouTube.
The tool can’t be used yet to track viewing on mobile devices, though Nielsen said that capability is coming, and because it does not include many online sites, it can’t give advertisers and networks a full view of how viewers are watching TV online.