Nielsen’s Acquisition of Arbitron: A Look
Let’s take a moment to reflect on an event that significantly impacted the media and marketing research industry. Back in December 18, 2012, Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN), a global leader in consumer insights, its acquisition of Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB), an international media and marketing research firm. This significant move not only expanded Nielsen’s capabilities but also solidified its position in the market. As we sit here in 2025, the implications of this merger continue to shape the landscape of media consumption analysis.
Nielsen acquired all outstanding common stock of Arbitron for $48 per share in cash, which represented a premium of approximately 26 percent to Arbitron’s closing price on December 17, 2012. The transaction had been approved by the boards of both companies and was subject to regulatory review.
Impact on Media Consumption Analysis
“U.S. consumers spend almost 2 hours a day with radio. It is and will continue to be a vibrant and important advertising medium,” said Nielsen Chief Executive Officer David Calhoun. “Arbitron will help Nielsen better solve for unmeasured areas of media consumption, including streaming audio and out-of-home. The high level of engagement with radio and TV among rapidly growing multicultural audiences makes this central to Nielsen’s priorities.”
With Arbitron’s assets, Nielsen intended to further expand its “Watch” segment’s audience measurement screens and forms of listening. “These integrated, innovative capabilities will enable broader measurement of consumer media behavior in more markets the world,” said Steve Hasker, Nielsen President of Global Media Products and Advertiser Solutions.
The Power of Radio
“Radio reaches more than 92 percent of all -on-bet” target=”_blank”> teens and adults because they love to listen to music, talk, news and information while at home, at work and in their cars,” said William T. Kerr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arbitron. “By combining Nielsen’s global capabilities and scale with Arbitron’s unique radio measurement and listening information, advertisers and media clients will have better insights into consumer behavior and the return on marketing investments.”
Together, Nielsen and Arbitron generated total revenues of $6.0 billion and combined pro forma adjusted EBITDA of $1.7 billion based on the 12 months ended September 30, 2012. The combined assets supported Nielsen’s strong cash flow characteristics and enabled continued investment in growth initiatives.
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#Nielsen #Arbitron #MediaResearch #MarketInsights #MediaConsumption
