Neilsen realigns some DMA's

[dmendenjr]

Another reason to be VERY careful in changing programming packages. This might be old news, but saw that there counties that just had their markets realigned. Dish was supposedly going to make the changes yesterday (2/18/09). But it will only affect new customers or customers changing service levels... such as an address change (erm, looking at you Movers) or a programming change.

The counties truly out of luck and loosing locals outright:

Dorchester County, MD - from Baltimore, MD to Salisbury, MD
George County, MS - from Mobile, MS to Biloxi, MS
Pocahontas, WV - Roanoke, WV to Bluefield-Beckley, WV
Putnam, OH - Toledo, OH to Lima, OH
Ripley, MO - Paduch, KY to Jonesboro, AR
Warren, IN - Champaign, IL to Lafayette, IN
Gibson, TN - Memphis, TN to Jackson, TN
Cherry, NE - Sioux Falls, SD to Denver, CO (however it will be outside the Denver Spotbeam)

On the other hand, if you live in one of these counties you might want to update your programming. They are going from no locals to getting locals:
Fallon, MT - Glendive, MT to Minot-Bismarck, ND
Arthur, NE - North Platte, NE to Denver, CO
Blaine, NE - North Platte, NE to Lincoln, NE

There are also a number of other counties that will be moving from one market to another (havent' taken the time to see the implication of HD-LiL's, but I am sure that there are some):

Athens, OH - Chaleston, WV to Columbus, OH
Campbell, SD - from Sioux Falls, SD to Minot-Bismarck, ND
Chattanooga, GA - from Chattanooga, GA to Atlanta, GA
Clinch, GA - from Albany, GA to Tallahassee, FL
Coosa, AL - from Montgomery, AL to Birmingham, AL
Delta, CA - Denver, Co to Grand Junction, CO
Jones, SD - Sioux Falls, SD to Rapid City, SD
Lincoln, WY - from Salt Lake City, UT to Idaho Falls, ID
Miller, GA - from Albany, GA to Tallahassee, FL
Morrow, OR - from Portland, OR to Yakima, WA
Nevada, AR - from Shreveport, LA to Little Rock, AR
Okfuskee, OK - from Oklahoma City, OK to Tulsa, OK
Orange, VA - from Richmond, VA to Charlottesville, VA
Pemiscot, MO - from Paducah, KY to Memphis, TN
San Miguel, CO - from Denver, CO to Grand Junction, CO
Trinity, TX - from Tyler, TX to Houston, TX

 

[Derwin0]

As for those losing locals outright, Dish won't do that, they'll let them continue to get the old locals.
Satellite companies have a choice on where to put locations that are moved from one DMA to another. They can leave them in the old, move them to the new, or even give them both (ie Franklin County, PA).

 

[yaz96]

Isn't this just for Nielsen ratings, and have nothing to do with what stations a town gets? Or does Nielsen control DMA assignments?

 

[M Sparks]

Isn't this just for Nielsen ratings, and have nothing to do with what stations a town gets? Or does Nielsen control DMA assignments?

DMA= Designated Market Area. Who do you think designates it? In fact, I think it's a Nielsen trademark.

In Arbitron ratings, I think it's called an Area of Dominant Influence...ADI.

Of course it has to do with what stations a town gets, but it probably FOLLOWS what's happening in reality. For example, I used to live in Lake Havasu, AZ. They received most of their stations via translator from Phoenix. However, Las Vegas, NV was actually much closer, and we used to get an independent station from Vegas, which later became Fox.

The translators were owned by the local government. Years later, the Phoenix stations swapped networks, leaving the town with two Fox stations and no ABC. The government switched the Vegas Fox translator to the Phoenix ABC. But they COULD have chosen to switch ALL the stations to Vegas. If that had happened, Nielsen would have changed the DMA from Phoenix to Vegas.

In some of these cases, it could be that a nearby town has grown recently and built one or more full power stations that were not there before. For example, I live in Flagstaff, which is in the Phoenix DMA. However, Prescott has exploded in population, and in fact is considered a "metro area" by the feds. If a couple of local stations popped up there, a Prescott DMA might be created, and we would probably be put in it.

 

[yaz96]

I understand that. Nielsen DMA's follow what stations a particular town gets, not determine it. But from what I read, they will be determining the towns' stations that they receive. And I don't believe that Nielsen can say, ok San Miguel, you used to receive Denver stations, but now you are going to receive Grand Junction stations. Or, maybe I'm wrong and they can.

 

[katsfan]

The following is from wikipedia.org:

A Television Market Area (TMA) is a group of counties in the United States that are covered by a specific group of television stations. The term is used by the U.S. Government's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate broadcast, cable, and satellite transmissions, according to the Code of Federal Regulations, at 47 CFR § 76.51 and OET -- FCC Areas . The TMAs not only delineate local broadcasts, but also delineate which channels will be received by Satellite or Cable subscribers ("must-carry" rules). These market areas can also be used to define restrictions on rebroadcasting of broadcast television signals. Generally speaking, only stations within the same market area can be rebroadcast. The only exception to this rule is the "significantly viewed" list.[1]
A similar term used by Nielsen Media Research is the Designated MA (DMA), and they control the trademark on it. There are 210 TMAs regulated by the FCC within the United States.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I understand that. Nielsen DMA's follow what stations a particular town gets, not determine it. But from what I read, they will be determining the towns' stations that they receive. And I don't believe that Nielsen can say, ok San Miguel, you used to receive Denver stations, but now you are going to receive Grand Junction stations. Or, maybe I'm wrong and they can.

Yeah, and having lived in Grand Junction for 13 years, that sucks for them.
Denver channels or GJT channels. No brainer. I didn't realize however, that Delta, CO was in the Denver DMA (its a mere 40 miles from Junction).

Of course the switch is coming as Dish is also finally providing HD channels for Junction.

 

[mdram]

from living in the area, i can tell you that dorchester county md shoudl have never been considered the baltimore dma, there is no way you can get any signal from there.
its over 100 miles as the crow flies, vs 30 from salisbury.

 

[eacalhoun]

Isn't this just for Nielsen ratings, and have nothing to do with what stations a town gets? Or does Nielsen control DMA assignments?

If you go to the FAQ section of the Neilson Media Research website, you'll get detailed information on this regarding locals offered via satellite --
Satellite & Local Television Issues | Nielsen Media Research

I found the following in the above link rather interesting, referring to DMAs:

We use these DMAs solely in measuring who is watching what within a given area. However, DMAs were never intended to be used for the purposes that other companies are now using them.

DMAs were never intended to be used for the purposes that other companies are now using them.
So, who decided it was best to use DMAs to provide satellite viewers local channels. Why not use the same method as cable providers -- where some viewers also get signals from adjacent markets also called "significantly viewed"?

 

[Laddyboy]

If you go to the FAQ section of the Neilson Media Research website, you'll get detailed information on this regarding locals offered via satellite --
Satellite & Local Television Issues | Nielsen Media Research

I found the following in the above link rather interesting, referring to DMAs:



DMAs were never intended to be used for the purposes that other companies are now using them.
So, who decided it was best to use DMAs to provide satellite viewers local channels. Why not use the same method as cable providers -- where some viewers also get signals from adjacent markets also called "significantly viewed"?

Because Congress or some lobbyists decided DBS companies needed to follow different rules than cablecos.

 

[M Sparks]

I understand that. Nielsen DMA's follow what stations a particular town gets, not determine it. But from what I read, they will be determining the towns' stations that they receive.

Huh? You understand that they don't determine it, but you "read" that they WILL determine it?

 

[yaz96]

Huh? You understand that they don't determine it, but you "read" that they WILL determine it?

Don't be daft.

I understand that Nielsen sets their own DMA maps up for ratings purposes.

In the OP, and according to the thread title, it APPEARED that Nielsen set up the DMA's that the satco's had to follow. Now, we have been given information that the GOVERNMENT determines what town gets what broadcast station, NOT Nielsen, as the OP implies.

Nielsen DMA's only follows what the gov't has mandated.

There. Capiche?

 

[SamCdbs]

A clickable DMA map can be found here:

TRUCKADS® | Mobile Advertising Markets ( DMA MAP ) and Affiliate Locator | Call 1 800 TRUCK ADS®

As to two of the DMA county swaps I am famliar with.

Pocahontas County, WV.

This is a very rural county. Right on the eastern continental divide. OTA television reception here has always been out of reach for most people. This is one of the places that the SHVIA let down. IMHO, places like this should just get whatever network stations they want, free. This will reduce the profits of Big Media by 0.000000000001%. So what?

In any event, cable, such as it is, pulls in a mix of stations from the Beckley-Bluefield market (which has only 3 stations, no Fox), the Roanoke-Lynchburg market and Huntington-Charleston markets (which have the major channels split between two cities 50 miles apart) and the Weston-Clarksburg market (which is likewise a 3 station market, no ABC) and the really should not be a market single-station Harrisonburg market (ABC).

Since Nielsen redefines DMAs based on what stations people watch "most" the DMA switches based on what the viewing preferences of what few people who get surveyed watch (NBC, which might come from Bluefield, or CBS, which might come from Roanoke, etc. There is no "local" TV in the sence that any local event might be covered on the news or a local business might buy an ad or whatever.

Right at the northern tip of the county is the Snowshoe Mountian ski resort. Lots of upscale condos. Many people have dishes, which they "move" into whatever home is to them, since the spots of all of the afformentioned markets and DC all hit there.

Athens County, OH:

The home of Ohio U and a nice affluent county. Too far from either city mentioned to get OTA TV. Local PBS has a student run local news program that is a rare serious effort at public service, and also good for a few laughs as 19 year old fall off the pyramid to be the next Matt Lauer early via You Tube. The station is important to the Huntington station, because it is the difference between about 3 steps in the DMA ranks. Cable has both city's stations. Huntington NBC tries very hard to keep it via vast over-coverage of local news and Ohio U sports. Columbus often ends up with it because Charleston ABC carries Leastleftover football rather than Big 10 when ABC goes regional, and Huntington CBS carries the Steelers rather than the Bengals.

Obviously, the rule should be that DBS can carry any station the local cable does, or any station that claims a Grade B.

 

[Slamminc11]

As for those losing locals outright, Dish won't do that, they'll let them continue to get the old locals.
Satellite companies have a choice on where to put locations that are moved from one DMA to another. They can leave them in the old, move them to the new, or even give them both (ie Franklin County, PA).

they will leave them as is until the customer changes something, then said customer loses their locals.

 

[mixedday]

I understand that. Nielsen DMA's follow what stations a particular town gets, not determine it. But from what I read, they will be determining the towns' stations that they receive. And I don't believe that Nielsen can say, ok San Miguel, you used to receive Denver stations, but now you are going to receive Grand Junction stations. Or, maybe I'm wrong and they can.

Every year Nielsen shifts a dozen or so counties around. If you notice they are always very sparsely populated counties (TV HH usually under 30,000). I've seen that Dorchester co. MD shift back and forth before. Im thinking by coming up with a list every year, its to keep the broadcasters thinking that Nielsen is doing some useful research to warrant stations to buy their research.

Another sorta failure of the system is its always by county basis. In some areas, like Mercer Co., Ocean Co. NJ, it'd make more sense by township/borough.
For example, Princeton NJ leans more towards New York, but is within Philadephia, PA DMA. The shore communities south of Toms River in Ocean County are a lot closer to Philly, lean towards Philly in most things, but are in NY's DMA. But Nielsen won't split the counties. Yet there is more population in these areas than these small counties in other parts of the country.

 

[mixedday]

In any event, cable, such as it is, pulls in a mix of stations from the Beckley-Bluefield market (which has only 3 stations, no Fox), the Roanoke-Lynchburg market and Huntington-Charleston markets (which have the major channels split between two cities 50 miles apart) and the Weston-Clarksburg market (which is likewise a 3 station market, no ABC) and the really should not be a market single-station Harrisonburg market (ABC).

Other 1 station markets:
St.Joseph (KQTV)
Zanesville (WHIZ)

St.Joseph is close to(50-60 miles) Kansas City, and Zanesville is close (50-60) to Columbus.

However, some of the bigger cities: Philadelphia, Boston, Washington and Tampa
have a single network affiliate (submarket) station absorbed into the primary market:
WMGM-TV(NBC) Wildwood/Atlantic City absorbed into Philadelphia
WMUR-9(ABC) New Hampshire absorbed into Boston, though WCVB and WMUR are both co-owned
WHAG-25(NBC) Hagerstown absorbed into DC. WHAG on Dish, though a harmless rural station
and WWSB 40(ABC)-Sarasota, FL absorbed into Tampa.

I'm thinking Kansas City and Columbus for whatever reason aren't big enough of cities of their own to absorb the smaller outlying station? And possibly the same is true with Harrisonburg's nearest big market.

Verizon Fios apparently carries WWSB 40(ABC) Sarasota throughout the entire Tampa-St.Petersburg market to WFTS's displeasure. WFTS 28(ABC) lacks coverage in some areas on cable in Sarasota too. DirecTV and Dish refuse to carry WWSB 40 (ABC) as it has no must-carry being in the same state as WFTS (28). Not only that but Sarasota being in FL is a growing area. So WFTS 28 (ABC) Scripps must be pissed, but atleast WWSB isn't on satellite.