The dominant ratings provider hopes to fend off competitors by pivoting to a bundle that combines its consumer panels with data from smart TV makers and other digital sources.

The Media Rating Council has approved the accreditation of Nielsen's Big Data + Panel TV ratings measurement. The new method for analyzing TV ratings combines the firm's panel measurement — which tracks a specific group or market's viewing habits — with data from cable,

The Media Rating Council approves the company's use of traditional panel sampling alongside input from millions more homes.

Nielsen's Big Data + Panel technology which includes measurement of smart-TV audiences, won backing from the Media Rating Council before the upfront

Nielsen has received accreditation for its Big Data + Panel national TV measurement from the Media Rating Council (MRC), certifying its ability to combine first-party viewership data with its panel. Why it matters: The certification better positions Nielsen to accurately capture viewership for TV networks and advertisers after the rise of media fragmentation and streaming challenged its traditional methods.