# Nielsen DMAs, change of county



## Brett (Jan 14, 2003)

I was looking at broadcasting & cable yearbooks from 2001 and 2002-2003 season and noticed many DMAs added or lost a county. Many to most of the counties that switched had very small number of TV HH. 

For a big market, it was almost non-noticeable. Some big markets including Dallas and Baltimore lost counties, but as most of the markets (practically every TV market gained homes) the loss of few outlying counties was no big deal. When the small DMA adds or loses a county though its a big deal.

Have any BIG counties (with big populations, significant number of TV HH) changed DMAs? I suspect an example could be Ocean County, NJ that has a good 200,000 TV HH and more (dont have exact number in front of me). The Southern and Western parts of the county identify with Philly more than NYC, and Philly stations are carried on cable throughout the county with NY stations. I seriously doubt Philly would ever claim this county from New York, but its a county that gets influence from Philly, Atlantic City and Trenton regions, not just New York and Monmouth regions.

Do DirecTV and Dish Network have to stick with one Nielsen DMA guide from a specific year, or can they switch editions (from 1999 to 2000 to 2001) etc. in order to get the most favorable # of counties possible per market? Some DMAs gained a county and lost a county at the same time. If it was common, could the DBS providers maximize the possible number of counties using more than 1 edition?

Dorcester County in Maryland moved from Baltimore to Salisbury DMA. However, DirecTV still can sell Baltimore locals in Dorcester County it seems. 

For Baltimore, they lost a county but they still gained homes from within their core market area, so the loss of Dorcester was almost not noticed. Cable carriage remains the same with no changes. But Salisbury moved from rank of DMA #160 to #150ish range.

Wheeling market lost Guerney County, OH to Columbus!!! How is this possible? Looking at the maps, the county is in between Wheeling/Steubenville and Zanesville. Anyways, although Columbus hardly benefited from this gain, Wheeling went down to 150 rank, so Salisbury and Wheeling from a distance of 20 ranks moved in as neighbors, DMA #150 and DMA #151.


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## AJ2086 (Jun 1, 2002)

Fairfield County needs to be taken away from NY DMA and added to Hartford New Haven. They NY News channels rarely cover anything in Fairfield County.


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## bryan27 (Apr 1, 2002)

Brett, isn't it something? Guernsey Co. can't even receive Columbus OTA. The only OTA signals receivable are WTOV(NBC), WTRF(CBS), WOUC(PBS), WHIZ(NBC), WSFJ(PAX). IMHO this is just the first nail in the demise of the Wheeling/Steubenville Market.


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## Brett (Jan 14, 2003)

I still find it confusing why a county in between Zanes and Wheeling moved to Columbus when the big 4 from Columbus arent even on cable either in that county. Only really the ABC from Columbus, and ABC alone isnt doing stellar in ratings in primetime do outweigh more local stations.

Nielsen just wants to change things (more than it needs to), so TV stations, DBS companies, etc. have to purchase their Nielsen copyrighted databased information every year.


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## bryan27 (Apr 1, 2002)

Something drastic must have happened, because ABC-Columbus has the smallest coverage area and ratings from two years ago don't even qualify the station for significant viewed.

I wonder if perhaps the Zanesville market will be going to Columbus soon, which would justify Cambridge moving.


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## Brett (Jan 14, 2003)

Well it seems DirecTV has taken advantage of this.

Verify here:

Click here for zip codes

Zip Code 43725 is Cambridge OH. DirecTV is selling Columbus locals in Cambridge, OH now.

Here is what they get for cable: 
See link

It looks like Cambridge, OH does now get the big 4 from Columbus plus even WUAB a Cleveland station. I think some areas of Guernsey are getting all the Columbus stations on cable, and other areas maybe not.

DirecTV is also selling Baltimore locals still in Dorchester County, MD even though according to Nielsen, Dorchester moved into Salisbury DMA in 2002-2003. Cambridge,MD is in Dorchester County, MD

You can check the zip codes and DirecTV's site to verify.

So, DirecTV is using the Nielsen updates to their benefit which is what I would do. If a carried market loses a county, DirecTV will not do anything. But any gains to a market, DirecTV will make adjustments to.


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