Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	13. Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings and Contingencies In August 2018, a putative shareholder class action lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York, naming as defendants Nielsen, former Chief Executive Officer Dwight Mitchell Barns, and former Chief Financial Officer Jamere Jackson. Another lawsuit, which alleged similar facts but also named other Nielsen officers, was filed in the Northern District of Illinois in September 2018 and transferred to the Southern District of New York in December 2018. The actions were consolidated on April 22, 2019, and the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi was appointed lead plaintiff for the putative class. The operative complaint was filed on September 27, 2019, and asserts violations of certain provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, based on allegedly false and materially misleading statements relating to the outlook of Nielsen’s Buy segment (now “Global Connect,” which was sold in the first quarter of 2021), Nielsen’s preparedness for changes in global data privacy laws and Nielsen’s reliance on third-party data. Nielsen moved to dismiss the operative complaint on November 26, 2019. On January 4, 2021, certain of the allegations against Nielsen and its officers were dismissed, while others were sustained. Discovery is ongoing. In addition, in January 2019, a shareholder derivative lawsuit was filed in New York Supreme Court against a number of Nielsen’s current and former officers and directors. The derivative lawsuit alleges that the named officers and directors breached their fiduciary duties to the Company in connection with factual assertions substantially similar to those in the putative class action complaint. The derivative lawsuit further alleges that certain officers and directors engaged in trading Nielsen stock based on material, nonpublic information. An amended complaint was filed on May 7, 2021, which Nielsen moved to dismiss on July 16, 2021. By agreement dated September 8, 2021, the action was stayed for a period of 90 days. Nielsen intends to defend these lawsuits vigorously. Based on currently available information, Nielsen believes that the Company has meritorious defenses to these actions and that their resolution is not likely to have a material adverse effect on Nielsen’s business, financial position, or results of operations. Nielsen is subject to litigation and other claims in the ordinary course of business, some of which include claims for substantial sums. Accruals have been recorded when the outcome is probable and can be reasonably estimated. While the ultimate results of claims and litigation cannot be determined, the Company does not expect that the ultimate disposition of these matters will have a material adverse effect on its operations or financial condition. However, depending on the amount and the timing, an unfavorable resolution of some or all of these matters could materially affect the Company’s future results of operations or cash flows in a particular period. In July 2019, Nielsen amended its Second Amended and Restated Master Services Agreement (the “MSA”), dated as of October 1, 2017 and effective as of January 1, 2017 (the “Effective Date”), with Tata America International Corporation and Tata Consultancy Services Limited (jointly, “TCS”) by executing Amendment Number One (the “Amendment”) with TCS, dated as of July 1, 2019 and effective as of January 1, 2019 (the “Amendment Effective Date”). The Amendment reduced the amount of services Nielsen committed to purchase from TCS from the Amendment Effective Date through the remaining term of the MSA (the “Minimum Commitment”) to $1.4 billion, including a commitment to purchase at least $184 million in services per year from 2021 through 2024, and $138 million in services in 2025 (in each of the foregoing cases, the “Annual Commitment”). As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate TCS commitment was approximately $875 million. In September 2021, it was agreed with TCS that Nielsen’s remaining Minimum Commitment, after giving effect to the sale of Global Connect, was $90 million (“Remaining Minimum Commitment”). It was also agreed that the remaining Annual Commitment for services would be $45 million in 2021 and $17 million per year from 2022 through 2025 (“Remaining Annual Commitment”). Upon satisfaction of the Remaining Minimum Commitment, the Remaining Annual Commitment no longer applies. TCS’s charges under existing and future statements of work (“SOWs”) pursuant to the MSA will continue to be credited against the Remaining Minimum Commitment and the Remaining Annual Commitment and the occurrence of certain events, some of which also provide Nielsen with the right to terminate the Agreement or SOWs, as applicable, will continue to be available to reduce the Remaining Minimum Commitment and Remaining Annual Commitment amounts as they occur. As of September 30, 2021, the Remaining Minimum Commitment was approximately $13 million.

Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

13. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings and Contingencies

In August 2018, a putative shareholder class action lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York, naming as defendants Nielsen, former Chief Executive Officer Dwight Mitchell Barns, and former Chief Financial Officer Jamere Jackson. Another lawsuit, which alleged similar facts but also named other Nielsen officers, was filed in the Northern District of Illinois in September 2018 and transferred to the Southern District of New York in December 2018. The actions were consolidated on April 22, 2019, and the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi was appointed lead plaintiff for the putative class. The operative complaint was filed on September 27, 2019, and asserts violations of certain provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, based on allegedly false and materially misleading statements relating to the outlook of Nielsen’s Buy segment (now “Global Connect,” which was sold in the first quarter of 2021), Nielsen’s preparedness for changes in global data privacy laws and Nielsen’s reliance on third-party data. Nielsen moved to dismiss the operative complaint on November 26, 2019. On January 4, 2021, certain of the allegations against Nielsen and its officers were dismissed, while others were sustained. Discovery is ongoing. In addition, in January 2019, a shareholder derivative lawsuit was filed in New York Supreme Court against a number of Nielsen’s current and former officers and directors. The derivative lawsuit alleges that the named officers and directors breached their fiduciary duties to the Company in connection with factual assertions substantially similar to those in the putative class action complaint. The derivative lawsuit further alleges that certain officers and directors engaged in trading Nielsen stock based on material, nonpublic information. An amended complaint was filed on May 7, 2021, which Nielsen moved to dismiss on July 16, 2021. By agreement dated September 8, 2021, the action was stayed for a period of 90 days. Nielsen intends to defend these lawsuits vigorously. Based on currently available information, Nielsen believes that the Company has meritorious defenses to these actions and that their resolution is not likely to have a material adverse effect on Nielsen’s business, financial position, or results of operations.

Nielsen is subject to litigation and other claims in the ordinary course of business, some of which include claims for substantial sums. Accruals have been recorded when the outcome is probable and can be reasonably estimated. While the ultimate results of claims and litigation cannot be determined, the Company does not expect that the ultimate disposition of these matters will have a material adverse effect on its operations or financial condition. However, depending on the amount and the timing, an unfavorable resolution of some or all of these matters could materially affect the Company’s future results of operations or cash flows in a particular period.

In July 2019, Nielsen amended its Second Amended and Restated Master Services Agreement (the “MSA”), dated as of October 1, 2017 and effective as of January 1, 2017 (the “Effective Date”), with Tata America International Corporation and Tata Consultancy Services Limited (jointly, “TCS”) by executing Amendment Number One (the “Amendment”) with TCS, dated as of July 1, 2019 and effective as of January 1, 2019 (the “Amendment Effective Date”). The Amendment reduced the amount of services Nielsen committed to purchase from TCS from the Amendment Effective Date through the remaining term of the MSA (the “Minimum Commitment”) to $1.4 billion, including a commitment to purchase at least $184 million in services per year from 2021 through 2024, and $138 million in services in 2025 (in each of the foregoing cases, the “Annual Commitment”). As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate TCS commitment was approximately $875 million. In September 2021, it was agreed with TCS that Nielsen’s remaining Minimum Commitment, after giving effect to the sale of Global Connect, was $90 million (“Remaining Minimum Commitment”). It was also agreed that the remaining Annual Commitment for services would be $45 million in 2021 and $17 million per year from 2022 through 2025 (“Remaining Annual Commitment”). Upon satisfaction of the Remaining Minimum Commitment, the Remaining Annual Commitment no longer applies. TCS’s charges under existing and future statements of work (“SOWs”) pursuant to the MSA will continue to be credited against the Remaining Minimum Commitment and the Remaining Annual Commitment and the occurrence of certain events, some of which also provide Nielsen with the right to terminate the Agreement or SOWs, as applicable, will continue to be available to reduce the Remaining Minimum Commitment and Remaining Annual Commitment amounts as they occur. As of September 30, 2021, the Remaining Minimum Commitment was approximately $13 million.