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Comcast's multiplatform measurement tests with Google, ComScore could open up VoD distribution

February 14, 2012 — 12:09pm ET | By Steve Donohue

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While Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) and its NBCUniversal subsidiary still haven't detailed how much multiplatform programming they'll distribute this summer from the Summer Olympics in London, the companies are teaming up with ComScore and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) to study how viewers watch the Olympics programming on live TV, the Web, mobile devices and video-on-demand platforms.

NBCU said Monday that it's working with ComScore, the online video measurement firm, and Google to develop methods for coming up with a single source for multiplatform viewing. The companies will rely on a panel of 3,000 homes, and will analyze how viewers watch the Olympics through cable set-tops, the Web, tablet computers and mobile phones.

Developing a reliable single-source measurement of multiplatform viewing could help cable and satellite providers obtain more content for their video-on-demand platforms. Programmers could gain more detailed reports for how viewers are watching their content, and use that data to convince media buyers to invest in VOD advertising.

Comcast, Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), AT&T (NYSE: T), Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) and other pay TV distributors have offered a limited amount of VoD and interactive programming from previous Olympics. Most of the VoD content Comcast and Cablevision offered subscribers from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver consisted of recaps from previous Olympics and athlete profiles. While NBC offered thousands of hours of online programming from the Olympics, it didn't allow VoD viewers to access events from the previous day. If Comcast and NBC succeed in developing a more reliable single-source measurement from the London games, the industry could see the amount of on-demand programming available to viewers increase significantly by the time of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

For more:
- see the news release