Univision drops "people meter" suit

Monday, November 29th 2004, 10:25 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Spanish-language broadcaster Univision Communications says it is dropping a lawsuit against Nielsen Media Research over a new TV rating system Univision claimed miscounts its viewers.

The lawsuit sought to stop Nielsen's use of the new electronic service in Los Angeles. Nielsen has withdrawn a countersuit against Univision.

In July, a judge refused to grant Univision a preliminary injunction to halt the launch of the ``Local People Meter'' system. Nielsen switched to the electronic system this year, saying the method of measuring local viewing habits was more accurate.

Univision complained about the system which substitutes electronic devices for paper ``diaries'' to measure TV watching habits. It charged the system undercounted young Hispanics and large Hispanic families and overstated Hispanic households that speak mostly or only English.