Nielsen Establishes New DMAs

Top10MovementInNewNielsenDMARanks

Of Nielsen’s 210 Designated Market Areas, 47 increased their positions, while an equal number dropped in the new 2016-17 rankings. There were three changes in the top 10 markets, with Houston moving up two spots to No. 8, knocking Boston and Atlanta down one place each to 9 and 10, respectively. Of all the moves, the largest was Reno’s six-spot drop to 112, with Des Moines, Iowa, the biggest gainer, rising three slots to 69.

By Mark K. Miller

TVNewsCheck, September 1, 2016 8:34 AM EDT

According to Nielsen’s latest Local Television Household Universe Estimates for the upcoming 2016-17 television season, there were 94 changes among Nielsen’s 210 Designated Market Areas, with an equal up-down split — 47 increased their positions, while 47 dropped.

Overall, Nielsen said it calculates there are 114,695,130 TV homes in the United States. That’s a 1.2% increase from 113,314,340 in 2015-16. These 2016-17 TV season rankings take effect Sept. 24.

 

 

In these new rankings there were five changes among the top 20 markets:

• Houston moved up two spaces, from 10^th to 8^th (with 2,242,240 homes).

• Boston slid from 8^th to 9^th (with 2,412,730 homes).

• Atlanta dropped from 9^th to 10^th (with 1,908,590 homes).

 

• Orlando, Fla., swapped with Cleveland, with Florida’s theme park capital moving up from 19 to 18 (1,519,570), while the Ohio home of the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame dipped from 18 to 19 (1,498,960).

Most of the moves were up or down a single slot. The biggest change was Reno’s six-slot slide from 106 to 112 (260,630). The largest gainer was Des Moines, Iowa, which moved up three places to 69 (433,950).