By Helen Coster

(Reuters) NBCUniversal has partnered with iSpot.tv, a TV measurement company, in a multiyear agreement to measure its audience in new and improved ways. This is the latest action by media companies unhappy with the way video content is measured.

This deal is coming as Nielsen, the world leader in TV measurement faces harsh criticism from TV industry clients who claim it has not adequately captured streaming’s shift to TV. Nielsen gauges TV audience through the use of a small sample group who are familiar with special devices.

Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ) NBCU has entered into a partnership that will allow it to monitor traditional linear, streaming, and time-shifted viewing second-by-second. The media company believes this will be a better way of measuring changing viewing habits.

NBCU will launch the partnership just in time for Super Bowl LVI’s audience measurement.

Television ratings form the foundation of the industry’s business model. This allows advertisers to monitor viewers and helps networks determine the prices for their ad slots. GroupM forecasts that TV advertising revenues will exceed $171 million this year.

A trade group representing major broadcast networks claimed Nielsen had undercounted TV viewership during the pandemic. It was true that technicians from the company were not able to enter the homes of the panelists in order to diagnose the problem. Later, the Media Ratings Council(MRC) confirmed that charge and removed Nielsen from its certification for TV measurement.

NBCU called for measurement independence on Aug. 23rd, weeks after the broadcast of Tokyo Olympics. The NBCU asked 54 companies to submit proposals, which included Nielsen. This was to invite them to join a new collection of measurement tools that will “modernize” the industry.