How is cable measured?
Cable data is collected the same way broadcast data is collected. Nielsen uses both meters and diaries to gather audience-viewing data. The set meters provide the tuning status (set on/off, channel, and time) of TV sets in the home. Diaries are mailed to homes to collect personal viewing information.

There is six-diary measurement periods (sweeps) each year. The meter and diary audience viewing estimates are combined in a way which projects the diary viewing data adjusted to the meter tuning data, which is used to produce the Nielsen VIP Report.

How is cable reported by Nielsen Media Research?
If a cable program source outside the local DMA achieves a Sunday-Saturday 7AM-1AM cumulative audience (cume) of at least 19.5%, THEN they are reported in the Daypart portion of the Persons Shares Section of the Nielsen VIP. To be FULLY reportable in the VIP, a cable network must achieve a cume of at least 49.5%.

For a LOCAL broadcaster to be fully reportable, however, it must only achieve a cume of 9.5%. Local cable origination networks have the same reportability requirements as local broadcasters.

Doesn't cable have tons of inventory?
NO! Insight Media has many networks but inventory is very limited. On average, we only receive two minutes per hour for each insertable network.

Can't local Cable Advertising only run ROS (Run of Schedule) spots?
NO! Insight Media allows the advertiser the flexibility to purchase any daypart or specific program or sporting event. Our digital insertion equipment also provides superior image quality and daily tape deadlines.

What is Cable Advertising?
Advertising on cable television is a unique and effective way to inform, motivate and persuade audiences about your business, product or service. It can take many forms: from traditional 30-second commercials, to longer-form advertising, to special photo-based ad channels. Whatever form it takes, cable TV advertising offers several key benefits:

  • Precise targeting of desired audiences.
  • Minimal waste.
  • Color, sound and visual excitement.

What makes it different?
Unlike traditional "over-the-air" TV, cable television is a very selective medium. Instead of delivering a single channel to an entire television market, cable TV delivers lots of demographically targeted television channels to specific geographic areas. This offers two efficiency advantages for advertisers:
  • The ability to target audiences by more precise areas of geography.
  • The ability to target audiences by demographic and lifestyle interests.

Are all cable commercials local?
No. Some of the commercials you see on cable TV channels air nationally. For instance, national auto makers such as Chrysler and General Motors are frequent national advertisers on cable TV. They purchase advertising time directly from cable networks such as ESPN, BET, MTV etc.

Who watches?
Cable TV is a fast-growing television medium that continues to carve into the audience share held by over-the-air television. In the nearly 75 percent of U.S. homes that subscribe to cable TV, people spend more time watching ad-supported cable channels than over-the-air television, according to a recent analysis of Nielsen Media Research data. Cable TV's total-day share of viewing has nearly doubled in the last 10 years.
Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, 2000 Cable TV Facts.