Nielsen Reveals Results of New Study That Investigates Television Advertising's Ability To Reach Frequent Movie-Goers

Business Wire, June 18, 2002

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 2002

Study Shows the Frequent Movie-Going Population Includes

More Than 18 Million 12-34 Year Olds

Advertisers who place their emphasis on television alone are potentially missing an important segment of their target audience -- primarily those in the 12-34 age category -- according to a new Nielsen study that investigated the television viewing habits of frequent movie-goers.

The study, conducted in February 2002 by Nielsen Media Research, surveyed 12-34 year olds in 1,000 Nielsen households and found that 21 percent of those interviewed considered themselves frequent movie-goers, saying they had been to the movies within the past week. The study showed that these frequent movie-goers, representing 18 million 12-34 year olds, tend to watch less cable and network programming than their casual movie-going counterparts.

"According to the study, some advertisers may not be able to successfully deliver messages to the frequent movie-going population through television advertising alone and could in fact over-deliver the non-movie-goer," said Paul Lindstrom, Senior Vice President in charge of national custom research for Nielsen Media Research. "Therefore unless coupled with another medium, advertisers may run the risk of missing millions of highly-coveted 12-34 year-olds."

The survey found that television's under-delivery of advertisers' messages is particularly significant with frequent teenage movie-goers during both early fringe (4 p.m. - 7 p.m.) and prime time (7 p.m. - 11 p.m.), and even on popular, young-skewing networks such as the WB and MTV. The Nielsen study also shows that 80 percent of all television viewers surveyed said they change the channel when a commercial comes on, regardless of age or time of day.

For companies like New York-based Screenvision, a worldwide provider of cinema advertising, the results of the Nielsen study are positive. Todd Siegel, Senior Vice President of Sales for Screenvision said, "By strategically combining both television and cinema advertising into the media mix, advertisers can deliver a significant segment of the population that is not effectively reached by television alone."

Siegel goes on to stress the study's finding that 80 percent of all television viewers say they change the channel when a commercial comes on. "The combination of clutter, clicking, technology and fragmentation is only going to become more of a challenge to advertisers going forward. In contrast, cinema advertising offers a captive environment and a growing audience free of remote controls and digital recorders. With cinema, all you have is a dark room, a 40 foot screen with surround sound, and an attentive audience resulting in high viewer recall."

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 electronic metered service in 55 markets. Nielsen Media Research is active in more than 40 countries worldwide, offering television and radio audience measurement, print readership and customized media research services. Nielsen Media Research also provides competitive advertising intelligence information through Nielsen Monitor-Plus both in the U.S. and in 30 markets worldwide. Through a network of affiliates, coverage is extended to more than 70 countries, representing 85% of the world's advertising spending. In addition, Nielsen collects Internet usage and advertising information through Nielsen//NetRatings. More information is available at: www.nielsenmedia.com.

Nielsen Media Research is part of the VNU Media Measurement & Information Group, a global leader in informational services for the media and entertainment industries. The Group serves the information and marketing needs of the television and radio broadcasters, advertisers, agencies, media planners, music companies, publishers, motion-picture studios, distributors and exhibitors, and the Internet industry. VNU is active in more than 100 countries, spread across all continents. VNU employs more than 35,000 people and has annual revenues of approximately EUR 4 billion. Additional information is available at: www.vnu.com.

Screenvision (U.S.)

Screenvision, a Technicolor Cinema Advertising Company, provides cinema marketing solutions to its advertising clients through on-screen sight, sound, and motion (Cinema Spots), still image advertising (Cinema Slides), and in-theatre promotional opportunities (Cinema Extensions). With exclusive access to 12,000 screens including Cinemark, Carmike Cinemas, and Loews Cineplex, Screenvision is the largest national network in the United States. Screenvision's network offers the deepest market penetration in the cinema advertising industry covering 95% of all U.S. DMAs that represent 99% of all Nielsen TV households. The company's client roster includes numerous high-profile consumer brands in a wide variety of industries including automotive, electronics, media and retail. Screenvision is a joint venture between Carlton Communications Plc (LSE: CCM) (NASDAQ: CCVTVY) and Technicolor, the world's leading provider and distributor of motion picture film prints, DVDs, CDs and videocassettes and a Thomson multimedia business (Paris Euroclear: 18453) (NYSE:TMS). Screenvision operates under Technicolor and has offices in New York, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco and Los Angeles.