NEWS RELEASE
New Beijing, Great Olympics
Over 90% Beijing Households Stayed Tuned
as Olympic Win Announced
Auckland, July 19, 2001 – Over 90% of Beijing households were tuned to television at 22:09 on July 13, when Juan Antonio
Samaranch, the former chairman of ICO, announced that Beijing had been selected to host the 2008 Olympics, according to
ACNielsen Media International’s latest people meter TV ratings.
The total household TV rating in Beijing was a record high at 90.2% at 21:56 and 22:12 when Samaranch announced,
“Beijing.” It was significantly higher than the average total household rating at 67.6% during this time slot in the3
last six months. (See Table 1)
“The high ratings coincided with people’s enthusiasm for the Olympics. Half the Beijing population stayed tuned as 53.8%
individuals watched television at 22:09, not to mention the crowds watching the live transmission on the street,” said
Phil Rich, executive director, Greater China, ACNielsen Media International. (See Table 2)
“People lingered to enjoy the excitement as the individual rating remained as high as 45% even after 23:00, much higher
than the regular level,“ added Rich.
The average individual total TV rating in Beijing for the live transmission of the Olympic bid (19:00-23:00) was 42.7%,
much higher than that of the same time slot when showing the Chinese New Year Variety Show (36.6% in 2001), the top
program in the last few years. “
ACNielsen Media International has been providing minute by minute TV ratings in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and
Chengdu, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shenyang and Tianjin with the state-of-the-art people meter technology. The service
will be available in Chongqing, Harbin and Jinan by the end of the year.
ACNielsen Media International is the largest provider of people meter television ratings in the world, operating over
20,000 people meters. It is also the only pan-Asia Pacific service provider, measuring TV audiences across 13 markets in
the region.
ACNielsen, a company of VNU N.V., is the world’s leading market research firm, offering measurement and analysis of
market place dynamics, consumer attitudes and behaviour, and new and traditional media in more than 100 countries.
Clients include leading consumer product manufacturers and retailers, service firms, media and entertainment companies
and the Internet community.
ENDS