TNS to Track Local Cable Ads

TNS Media Intelligence will begin tracking local cable ads in San Francisco and Boston in March, the company said Monday.

The research firm claimed that the new service marks the first undertaking to provide media companies, advertisers and advertising agencies in the United States with detailed information on advertising occurrences for local cable television.

TNS said it will track commercials from 5 a.m.-2 a.m. seven days per week, and all advertising-occurrence details will be provided, including network, category, advertiser, brand and number of units. The company expects the first data to be available in April.

“Local cable television is a critical element to many advertising campaigns, and we are pleased to be the first competitive intelligence provider to track this vital information which, until now, has never been available,” TNS CEO Steven Fredericks said in a prepared statement.

“Local cable television will be the 20th media type TNS MI tracks, and it will align our industry-leading monitoring capabilities with one of local cable’s key selling points -- geographic targeting,” he added.