Nielsen's media client chief Dave Thomas will step down next month to be replaced by Mitch Barns, reports MediaPost.
Currently
the president of Nielsen Greater China, Barns will step into the role
of media client president, which includes the company's TV ratings
business, on June 1. Thomas is not expected to be leaving for another
job at the moment, instead taking time off.
Thomas
was instrumental in brokering the deal between Nielsen and News Corp.,
shortly after a war broke out between the two companies over how
minority TV audiences and counted among the ratings. Earlier in his
tenure, Thomas gained the support of cable networks with his National
Audience Demographics reports; cable networks make up more of Nielsen's
revenue than broadcast nets do.
Barns is seen by some as a possible heir to Nielsen chief David Calhoun.
