Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Business Segment Information

Business Segment Information

	Year Ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016			2015			2014
Revenues
Buy	$	3,322		$	3,345		$	3,523
Watch		2,987			2,827			2,765
Total	$	6,309		$	6,172		$	6,288
	Year Ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016			2015			2014
Business segment income/(loss)(1)
Buy	$	623		$	624		$	658
Watch		1,352			1,269			1,214
Corporate and eliminations		(37	)		(35	)		(35	)
Total	$	1,938		$	1,858		$	1,837
	Year Ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016			2015			2014
Depreciation and amortization
Buy	$	212		$	207		$	224
Watch		387			363			343
Corporate and eliminations		4			4			6
Total	$	603		$	574		$	573
	Year Ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016			2015			2014
Restructuring charges
Buy	$	61		$	32		$	64
Watch		18			14			14
Corporate and eliminations		26			5			11
Total	$	105		$	51		$	89
	Year Ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016			2015			2014
Stock-based compensation expense
Buy	$	16		$	15		$	14
Watch		10			8			10
Corporate and eliminations		25			25			23
Total	$	51		$	48		$	47
	Year Ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016			2015			2014
Other items(2)
Buy	$	3		$	1		$	(2	)
Watch		2			4			11
Corporate and eliminations		31			87			30
Total	$	36		$	92		$	39
	Year Ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016			2015			2014
Operating income/(loss)
Buy	$	331		$	369		$	358
Watch		935			880			836
Corporate and eliminations		(123	)		(156	)		(105	)
Total	$	1,143		$	1,093		$	1,089

(IN MILLIONS)	December 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Total assets
Buy	$	6,697	$	6,537
Watch		8,905		8,650
Corporate and eliminations		128		116
Total	$	15,730	$	15,303

(1) The Company’s chief operating decision maker uses business segment income/(loss) to measure performance from period to period both at the consolidated level as well as within its operating segments.

(2) For the year ended December 31, 2016, other items primarily consist of business optimization costs.  For the year ended December 31, 2015, other items consist of a $36 million donation to the Nielsen Foundation, $14 million charge for a vested cash out of certain U.S. pension plan participants, and business optimization costs.

	Year ended December 31,
(IN MILLIONS)	2016		2015		2014
Capital expenditures
Buy	$	196	$	159	$	206
Watch		227		244		198
Corporate and eliminations		10		5		8
Total	$	433	$	408	$	412

Geographical Segment Information

Geographic Segment Information

			Operating			Long-
			Income/			lived
(IN MILLIONS)	Revenues(1)		(Loss)			Assets(2)
2016
United States	$	3,626	$	738		$	10,573
North and South America, excluding the United States		605		180			902
United Kingdom		198	(22		)	215
Other Europe, Middle East & Africa		1,089		127			1,032
Asia Pacific		791		120			330
Total	$	6,309	$	1,143		$	13,052
			Operating			Long-
			Income/			lived
(IN MILLIONS)	Revenues(1)		(Loss)			Assets(2)
2015
United States	$	3,606	$	761		$	10,683
North and South America, excluding the United States		567		131			944
United Kingdom		226		(6	)		240
Other Europe, Middle East & Africa		1,030		120			843
Asia Pacific		743		87			335
Total	$	6,172	$	1,093		$	13,045
			Operating
			Income/
(IN MILLIONS)	Revenues(1)		(Loss)
2014
United States	$	3,415	$	700
North and South America, excluding the United States		670		161
United Kingdom		217		(25	)
Other Europe, Middle East & Africa		1,215		160
Asia Pacific		771		93
Total	$	6,288	$	1,089

(1) Revenues are attributed to geographic areas based on the location of customers.

(2) Long-lived assets include property, plant and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets.