NEW YORK, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Nielsen Media Research announced the creation of the African American Advisory Council (AAAC), which consists of 12 industry, community, and business leaders. The Council will advise Nielsen on a range of issues involving sampling of African Americans for television audience measurement in the U.S. and will assist Nielsen in reaching out to African American communities and those within the industry. The first AAAC meeting was held in September in New York.
"African Americans represent more than 13 million television households in the U.S., representing approximately 12 percent of all U.S. television households," said Sara Erichson, general manager of National Services at Nielsen Media Research. "It is imperative that our insight into the viewing habits of this community begins with culturally sensitive recruitment strategies and outreach."
"Regardless of whether an African American resides in a rural or urban community, it's important that all of their viewing habits are accurately measured and reported," said Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News and a newly appointed member of the Council. "Nielsen has done a commendable job in ensuring that the African American population is represented within its samples. The Council can advise Nielsen on how to better reach African Americans and communicate a message of inclusion to the public."
"There is an economic impact to understanding the household characteristics and viewing trends of African Americans," said Vic Bulluck, executive director of the NAACP Hollywood Branch. "As a Council member, I hope to provide insight that will help Nielsen understand why the data the company provides should be able to meet the unique needs of industry leaders that specifically target the African American community, thus forging an even stronger relationship with these prospective allies."
Nielsen Media Research announced the creation of its Asian Pacific American Advisory Council last year, and has worked effectively during the last 12 months with its members to address issues of concern to that community. The company plans to establish a Hispanic Advisory Council in 2007. The creation of the councils is part of Nielsen Media Research's commitment to addressing many of the recommendations made by the Independent Task Force on Television Measurement in 2005.
The members of the African American Advisory Council are:
* Vic Bulluck, Executive Director, NAACP, Hollywood Bureau, Los Angeles
* Reverend Jacques Andre DeGraff, Associate Pastor, Canaan Baptist Church
in Harlem
* Ronald Franklin, Executive VP, Director of Research and Planning for
GlobalHue, Southfield, Michigan
* Deborah Gray Young, Director of Media, E. Morris Communications, Chicago
* Adonis Hoffman, Senior VP and Council, American Association of
Advertising Agencies, Washington
* Warrington Hudlin, President, Black Filmmakers Foundation, New York
* Ivan Juzang, CEO, MEE Productions, Philadelphia
* Michelle Moore, Senior VP Marketing and Communications, National Urban
League, New York
* Cynthia Perkins Roberts, Vice President Diversity Marketing & Sales
Development, CableTelevision Advertising Bureau, New York
* Ken Smikle, President, Target Market News
* Mitsy Wilson, Senior VP Diversity Development, Fox Entertainment Group
and News Corporation, Los Angeles
* Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church
of Christ, Chicago
About Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is the leading provider of television audience measurement and related services, worldwide. In the United States, Nielsen's National People Meter service provides audience estimates for all national program sources, including broadcast networks, cable networks, Spanish language networks, and national syndicators. Local ratings estimates are produced for television stations, regional cable networks, MSOs, cable interconnects, and Spanish language stations in each of the 210 television markets in the U.S., including People Meter service in ten markets and electronic set-metered service in 46 markets. For more information, please visit http://www.nielsenmedia.com/.
Nielsen Media Research is a unit of VNU, a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Computing, Intermediair) and trade shows. The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. VNU employs nearly 41,000 people. For more information, visit http://www.vnu.com/.
Source: Nielsen Media Research
CONTACT: Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, +1-312-385-6505
Web site: http://www.nielsenmedia.com/
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