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HBO has tapped Nielsen to measure the cable networks ratings for its video on demand programming. HBO is the first network to have access to the viewer data for it s video-on- demand service Nielsen said.

Nielsen will measure HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand, allowing HBO access to data about how many households are viewing its VOD programming and the demographics of the audiences viewing each specific program. The data will help the network tweak it programming in the future and could bring in more subscribers as well.

"Technology has changed the way people watch television and as our customers increasingly use our On Demand products to watch our shows on a timetable of their choosing, it is essential that we understand this growing shift in viewer behavior," said Jan Pasquale, Senior Vice President, Research, HBO.

"The knowledge gained from this service will enable us to drive additional consumer satisfaction by understanding the appeal of our programming to specific audiences and developing targeted offerings for the full range of our customer base."

Nielsen estimates that 35 million homes have access to on-demand services.

"Clients told us that VOD is a vital part of their business and Nielsen responded with a service that allows them to measure, analyze and understand audience preferences," said Sara Erichson, Executive Vice President Client Services, Nielsen North America