Nielsen Releases Teen ‘LPM’ Data

Teen viewing of local television this summer, as measured by “Local People Meters,” was substantially higher than had previously been reported with old technology, Nielsen Media Research said Monday.

The LPM data -- available for the first time in six major markets this year -- also found that teens 12-17 watched a broader range of programs than previously reported by set meters and diary samples.

In addition, the most popular types of shows and genres among younger audiences varied substantially from city to city.

According to the LPMs, on weekends, teen viewing increased in all LPM markets except Los Angeles. For example, in Chicago, 60,000 more teens were viewing in the daytime.

And in the early morning, from 5 a.m.-9 a.m., the number of teens watching rose dramatically. In New York, for example, there were 90,000 more teens watching during this period.

As for local tastes in different kinds of programming, reality shows were particularly popular in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Cartoons ranked high with teens in all LPM markets except San Francisco, and they dominated in Los Angeles, with seven animated shows in the top 10.