Guarantor Financial Information - Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,656	$ 1,570	$ 1,596	$ 1,487	$ 1,624	$ 1,531	$ 1,559	$ 1,458	$ 6,309	[1]	$ 6,172	[1]	$ 6,288	[1]
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below									2,607		2,539		2,620
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below									1,851		1,915		1,917
Depreciation and amortization									603		574		573
Restructuring charges									105		51		89
Operating income	341	296	282	224	310	298	286	199	1,143		1,093		1,089
Interest income									4		4		3
Interest expense									(333)		(311)		(300)
Foreign currency exchange transaction gains/(losses), net									(6)		(31)		(71)
Other income/(expense), net									8		206		(100)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net loss of affiliates	261	214	196	145	433	225	202	101	816		961		621
Provision for income taxes									(309)		(383)		(236)
Equity in net (loss)/income of affiliates											(3)		(4)
Net income									507		575		381
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									5		5		(3)
Net income attributable to Nielsen stockholders	$ 159	$ 130	$ 113	$ 100	$ 251	$ 142	$ 114	$ 63	502		570		384
Total other comprehensive (loss)/income									(157)		(290)		(397)
Total other comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									(5)		(8)		(7)
Net current period other comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									(152)		(282)		(390)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)									350		285		(16)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests											(3)		(10)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen stockholders									350		288		(6)
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below									2		4		4
Operating income									(2)		(4)		(4)
Interest expense									(3)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net loss of affiliates									(5)		(4)		(4)
Provision for income taxes											(1)		7
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries									507		575		381
Net income									502		570		384
Net income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									502		570		384
Total other comprehensive (loss)/income									(152)		(282)		(390)
Net current period other comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									(152)		(282)		(390)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)											288		(6)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen stockholders									350		288		(6)
Issuers
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Interest income									869		864		856
Interest expense									(310)		(291)		(283)
Other income/(expense), net									(7)				553
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net loss of affiliates									552		573		1,126
Provision for income taxes									(135)		(127)		(94)
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries									272		297		(521)
Net income									689		743		511
Net income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									689		743		511
Total other comprehensive (loss)/income									(141)		(280)		805
Net current period other comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									(141)		(280)		805
Total comprehensive income/(loss)											463		1,316
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen stockholders									548		463		1,316
Guarantor
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									3,571		3,585		3,414
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below									1,318		1,279		1,269
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below									969		1,048		955
Depreciation and amortization									487		465		448
Restructuring charges									69		32		43
Operating income									728		761		699
Interest income									38		37		44
Interest expense									(889)		(881)		(874)
Foreign currency exchange transaction gains/(losses), net									2		(10)		(2)
Other income/(expense), net									156		252		4
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net loss of affiliates									35		159		(129)
Provision for income taxes									(115)		(175)		(98)
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries									588		593		611
Equity in net (loss)/income of affiliates									(1)		(2)		(3)
Net income									507		575		381
Net income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									507		575		381
Total other comprehensive (loss)/income									(152)		(282)		(390)
Net current period other comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									(152)		(282)		(390)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)											293		(9)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen stockholders									355		293		(9)
Non-Guarantor
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									2,738		2,587		2,874
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below									1,289		1,260		1,351
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below									880		863		958
Depreciation and amortization									116		109		125
Restructuring charges									36		19		46
Operating income									417		336		394
Interest income									5		5		8
Interest expense									(39)		(41)		(48)
Foreign currency exchange transaction gains/(losses), net									(8)		(21)		(69)
Other income/(expense), net									(141)		(46)		(8)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net loss of affiliates									234		233		277
Provision for income taxes									(59)		(80)		(51)
Equity in net (loss)/income of affiliates									1		(1)		(1)
Net income									176		152		225
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									5		5		(3)
Net income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									171		147		228
Total other comprehensive (loss)/income									(184)		(282)		(490)
Total other comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									(5)		(8)		(7)
Net current period other comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									(179)		(274)		(483)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)											(130)		(265)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests											(3)		(10)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen stockholders									(8)		(127)		(255)
Consolidation Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Interest income									(908)		(902)		(905)
Interest expense									908		902		905
Other income/(expense), net													(649)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net loss of affiliates													(649)
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries									(1,367)		(1,465)		(471)
Net income									(1,367)		(1,465)		(1,120)
Net income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									(1,367)		(1,465)		(1,120)
Total other comprehensive (loss)/income									472		836		68
Net current period other comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to Nielsen stockholders									472		836		68
Total comprehensive income/(loss)											(629)		(1,052)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen stockholders									$ (895)		$ (629)		$ (1,052)

[1] Revenues are attributed to geographic areas based on the location of customers.