Summary of Recent Accounting Pronouncements	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Recent Accounting Pronouncements	2. Summary of Recent Accounting Pronouncements Leases Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the new lease accounting standard using the transition method approved by the FASB on July 30, 2018, which allows companies to apply the provisions of the new leasing standard as of January 1, 2019, without adjusting the comparative periods presented. In addition, we elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard. This allowed us to carry forward the historical lease classification. Adoption of this standard resulted in the recording of net operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets of $0.5 billion (amount is net of lease incentives and ASC 420 cease-use liabilities) and corresponding operating lease liabilities of $0.6 billion. Financial position for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019 are presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with previous guidance. See Note 5 (“Leases”) for further discussion. Income taxes In February 2018, the FASB issued an ASU, “Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects From Accumulated Comprehensive Income”. The new standard gives companies the option to reclassify stranded tax effects caused by the newly-enacted US Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) from accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) to retained earnings. The new standard became effective for Nielsen on January 1, 2019. Nielsen elected to not reclassify stranded income tax effects of the TCJA from AOCI to retained earnings. Financial Instruments – Credit Losses In June 2016, the FASB issued an ASU, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”. The standard significantly changes how entities will measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. The standard will replace today’s “incurred loss” approach with an “expected loss” model for instruments measured at amortized cost. For available-for-sale debt securities, entities will be required to record allowances rather than reduce the carrying amount, as they do today under the other-than-temporary impairment model. It also simplifies the accounting model for purchased credit-impaired debt securities and loans. The new standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Nielsen does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Subtopic 715-20), which amends the current disclosure requirements regarding defined benefit pensions and other post retirement plans, and allows for the removal of certain disclosures, while adding certain new disclosure requirements. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and allows for early adoption. The Company does not expect this new standard to have a significant impact to our disclosures. Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income taxes In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes which amends and aims to simplify accounting disclosure requirements regarding a number of topics including: intraperiod tax allocation, accounting for deferred taxes when there are changes in consolidation of certain investments, tax basis step up in an acquisition and the application of effective rate changes during interim periods, amongst other improvements. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and allows for early adoption. Nielsen is assessing the impact of this new standard on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and its future disclosures.

Summary of Recent Accounting Pronouncements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Summary of Recent Accounting Pronouncements

2. Summary of Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Leases

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the new lease accounting standard using the transition method approved by the FASB on July 30, 2018, which allows companies to apply the provisions of the new leasing standard as of January 1, 2019, without adjusting the comparative periods presented. In addition, we elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard. This allowed us to carry forward the historical lease classification. Adoption of this standard resulted in the recording of net operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets of $0.5 billion (amount is net of lease incentives and ASC 420 cease-use liabilities) and corresponding operating lease liabilities of $0.6 billion. Financial position for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019 are presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with previous guidance. See Note 5 (“Leases”) for further discussion.

Income taxes

In February 2018, the FASB issued an ASU, “Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects From Accumulated Comprehensive Income”. The new standard gives companies the option to reclassify stranded tax effects caused by the newly-enacted US Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) from accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) to retained earnings. The new standard became effective for Nielsen on January 1, 2019. Nielsen elected to not reclassify stranded income tax effects of the TCJA from AOCI to retained earnings.

Financial Instruments – Credit Losses

In June 2016, the FASB issued an ASU, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”. The standard significantly changes how entities will measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. The standard will replace today’s “incurred loss” approach with an “expected loss” model for instruments measured at amortized cost. For available-for-sale debt securities, entities will be required to record allowances rather than reduce the carrying amount, as they do today under the other-than-temporary impairment model. It also simplifies the accounting model for purchased credit-impaired debt securities and loans. The new standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Nielsen does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Subtopic 715-20), which amends the current disclosure requirements regarding defined benefit pensions and other post retirement plans, and allows for the removal of certain disclosures, while adding certain new disclosure requirements. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and allows for early adoption. The Company does not expect this new standard to have a significant impact to our disclosures.

Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income taxes

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes which amends and aims to simplify accounting disclosure requirements regarding a number of topics including: intraperiod tax allocation, accounting for deferred taxes when there are changes in consolidation of certain investments, tax basis step up in an acquisition and the application of effective rate changes during interim periods, amongst other improvements. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and allows for early adoption. Nielsen is assessing the impact of this new standard on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and its future disclosures.