“There is no doubt that the underlying data is incorrect on an absolute basis. I’m sure it has not helped their valuations. But it doesn’t take Nielsen to tell you that viewers are shifting their viewing.” - LightShed Partners Co-Founder Rich Greenfield

In the biz of TV, there are people who talk about the stream tax. Things are now costing more since we all went a la carte. So we talk now about bundles of bundles but the market doesn’t move much. Because margins. And people will pay the tax.

In advertising ‘tis the time of year when networks talk tough on Nielsen, as if they care more about accuracy above all. They don’t. They want a cheaper Nielsen bill and some way to prove their advertising works. The lack of accuracy leaves knowledge gaps that cost everyone money in waste. It’s a transparency tax.

But now TV is CTV, the industry once known for brand safe reach, we have ourselves a new tax, which means better margins for publishers but also— waste, fraud and abuse. $1 spent delivers .20 on target reach, if it doesn’t get haunted by ghost impressions and a hundred little “hops” between buyers and publishers. The ad tech tax is hard to solve, so TV land barely talks about it— even though it's costing BILLIONS.

At least the top stories from TVREV come to you tax free. Enjoy it (while it lasts! :-)