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,

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.

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

Nielsen gets MRC accreditation for big data, which could open the door for wider use of Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel in the upfront.