NBC's Olympic Test: Counting All the Games' Viewers†

Wall Street Journal, July 7, 2008 — NBC Universal plans to use its coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games to launch a new system for measuring viewership across an array of different media, including video-on-demand, cellphones and the Web, as well as traditional television. NBC hopes the new system — which will be offered to advertisers at the start of the new fall season — will give it ammunition to persuade advertisers to buy ad time on newer media such as VOD and cellphone video.

NBCU, Nielsen Team on New Sales Measure†

Partnership Will Cull Data from TV Ratings, Online Video Streaming, Consumer Activity

Advertising Age, June 2, 2008 — NBC Universal and Nielsen have decided to collaborate on new sales measures using data from TV ratings, online video streaming and consumer activity based on specific industry categories. It's just the latest step by a TV network to cobble together information for advertisers that goes beyond the typical reach-and-frequency ratings that have been the benchmark of the business for decades.

The two companies said their alliance is designed to "move advertising sales beyond traditional demographic data" and promote the development of new sales and marketing measures.

Push in Online Car Shopping†

NBCU Is Hoping Stake in DriverTV Snags Ad Dollars

Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2008 — In an effort to snare more of the automotive advertising dollars migrating online, NBC Universal is buying a sizable stake in DriverTV, a Web site and video-on-demand channel that specializes in videos aimed at car shoppers.

NBCU is paying about $6 million for a 35% stake in DriverTV, which has about $8 million in annual revenue, according to people familiar with the matter. Currently all DriverTV's ad revenue comes from car makers, but the company, which is partly owned by the TV- and ad-production firm Radical Media, is hoping eventually to attract advertisers from other auto-related industries such as insurance.

NBC Making a Clean Start in a House of Mixed Media

After it bought the Web site iVillage.com last year, NBC Universal bragged that it had landed a digital darling. But few people are boasting about iVillage now.

New York Times, August 13, 2007 — After it bought the Web site iVillage.com last year for $600 million, NBC Universal bragged that it had landed a digital darling. The women-focused Internet business was a perfect fit with the “Today” show, executives said, and would turbo-charge their online efforts.

GE-NBCU Invests in Healthline, Gaming†

Busy Peacock Equity Fund Shows a Penchant for Advanced Ad Applications

Advertising Age, July 17, 2007 — Putting at least $250 million where their mouths are, NBC Universal and GE Commercial Finance are placing bets on the web 2.0 world, having teamed up on a joint venture, recently rebranded the Peacock Equity Fund, to help identify young digital companies that could help them play in the advanced advertising space.

Chief of Universal Finds Success at the Back of the Pack

Though profitable for the last nine years, Universal has been noticeably short on blockbusters to call its own. And that is largely by design

New York Times, July 16, 2007 — The hilltop theme park outside the 14th floor office of Ron Meyer, president of the Universal Studios Group, anchored by past glories like its “Jurassic Park” and “Backdraft” rides, could stand a makeover.