Paramount Global and Nielsen have entered into a multi-year measurement and analytics deal, reinforcing their long-standing partnership in audience data and media insights. The agreement, effective immediately, will cover Paramount’s national and local broadcasts, cable networks, and streaming platforms, including Paramount+ and Pluto TV.
As part of the new deal, Paramount has licensed cutting-edge Nielsen services to enhance its advertising, programming, and content licensing strategies. These services include Advanced Audiences, Big Data + Panel, Ad-Supported Streaming Platform Ratings, Nielsen ONE Ads for Connected TV, and National Out-of-Home expansion.
The deal was announced jointly by Karthik Rao, CEO of Nielsen, and George Cheeks, President and CEO of CBS and Co-CEO of Paramount Global.
Karthik Rao expressed his enthusiasm for the renewed collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to resume our partnership with Paramount as they continue to strengthen their position as a leading entertainment brand. Our trusted data highlights Paramount’s success across platforms, demographics, and advertising strategies. As the company evolves into a next-generation media powerhouse, this deal benefits not only Nielsen and Paramount but also our shared advertising partners.”
George Cheeks echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Paramount and Nielsen are fully committed to addressing television’s multiplatform future. Karthik and his team have consistently met the needs of our marketplace, and we are excited to reinforce and reinvigorate our long-standing relationship.”
The deal comes as Paramount celebrates a series of record-breaking ratings milestones:
CBS’s AFC Championship Game broadcast on January 26 drew 57.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched AFC title game ever and the biggest overall conference championship in 15 years.
CBS dominated the 2024 NFL season, with three of the top five games in October, the highest-rated November matchup (27.5 million viewers), and two of the top five games in December.
CBS led in drama viewership, with Tracker reigning as the No. 1 drama in October (11.3 million average viewers), November (11.6 million), and December (10.8 million).
The reimagined Matlock, alongside FBI, Elsbeth, NCIS, and the farewell season of Blue Bloods, ranked among the top 10 most-watched dramas every month in Fall 2024.
CBS dramas amassed over 50 trillion viewing minutes in Q4 2024, more than any other broadcast network.
Paramount’s streaming platform Paramount+ also had a banner year in 2024, thanks to original series like:
Lioness, Tulsa King, and Landman, with Landman becoming Paramount+’s first show to hit one billion viewing minutes in a single week.
All three titles consistently appeared in the Nielsen Streaming Top 10 throughout Fall 2024, marking a major milestone for the platform.
Additionally, Tracker (26.07 billion minutes viewed across CBS, Paramount+, and Hulu) and Elsbeth (14.94 billion minutes viewed) emerged as the most-watched new dramas across both broadcast and streaming.
The Paramount-Nielsen deal follows a series of innovations from Nielsen, including:
February 3, 2025 – Nielsen’s Out-of-Home (OOH) measurement expanded to 100% of the U.S. contiguous TV population.
January 2025 – Accreditation for Big Data + Panel measurement.
November 2024 – Accreditation for a first-party live streaming measurement solution.
This strategic alliance between Paramount and Nielsen reinforces the evolving nature of television and streaming measurement, ensuring Paramount remains at the forefront of audience insights and advertising effectiveness in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.