Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,563	$ 1,610
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	695	719
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	480	493
Depreciation and amortization	179	167
Restructuring charges	35	24
Operating income	174	207
Interest income	2	2
Interest expense	(99)	(96)
Foreign currency exchange transaction gains/(losses), net	(3)
Other income/(expense), net	5	1
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	79	114
Benefit/(provision) for income taxes	(32)	(39)
Net income/(loss)	47	75
Less net income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	4	3
Net income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	43	72
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)	6	56
Total other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		2
Net current period other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	6	54
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	53	131
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	4	5
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	49	126
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	1	1
Operating income	(1)	(1)
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	(1)	(1)
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	44	73
Net income/(loss)	43	72
Net income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	43	72
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)		54
Net current period other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	6	54
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	49	126
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	49	126
Issuers
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Interest income	184	151
Interest expense	(93)	(91)
Other income/(expense), net		(1)
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	91	59
Benefit/(provision) for income taxes	(25)	(12)
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	56	58
Net income/(loss)	122	105
Net income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	122	105
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)		2
Net current period other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	1	2
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	123	107
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	123	107
Guarantor
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	867	870
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	376	375
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	234	234
Depreciation and amortization	145	132
Restructuring charges	12	11
Operating income	100	118
Interest income	10	10
Interest expense	(190)	(154)
Foreign currency exchange transaction gains/(losses), net	1
Other income/(expense), net	(7)
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	(86)	(26)
Benefit/(provision) for income taxes	63	2
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	67	97
Net income/(loss)	44	73
Net income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	44	73
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)		54
Net current period other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	6	54
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	50	127
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	50	127
Non-Guarantor
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	696	740
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	319	344
Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	245	258
Depreciation and amortization	34	35
Restructuring charges	23	13
Operating income	75	90
Interest income	2	1
Interest expense	(10)	(11)
Foreign currency exchange transaction gains/(losses), net	(4)
Other income/(expense), net	12	2
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	75	82
Benefit/(provision) for income taxes	(70)	(29)
Net income/(loss)	5	53
Less net income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	4	3
Net income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	1	50
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)		59
Total other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		2
Net current period other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	32	57
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	37	112
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	4	5
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	33	107
Consolidation Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Interest income	(194)	(160)
Interest expense	194	160
Equity in net income/(loss) of subsidiaries	(167)	(228)
Net income/(loss)	(167)	(228)
Net income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	(167)	(228)
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)		(113)
Net current period other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	(39)	(113)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)	(206)	(341)
Total comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Nielsen shareholders	$ (206)	$ (341)