Nielsen is ratcheting up pressure on Paramount as their contract dispute nears its fourth month, cutting off access to a commonly used transaction tool for TV ratings. The move will make it more difficult for agencies to process the translation from Nielsen upfront guarantees to the VideoAmp currency Paramount has been using since Oct. 1.

Paramount ratings have been removed from the “media information tape,” a tool agencies commonly use to process Nielsen-based transactions. A Nielsen spokesman noted that is still providing Paramount ratings, just not in the tool generally used in transactions.

“All of our clients continue to have a full view of the marketplace, as Nielsen continues to measure Paramount networks and streaming services,” the Nielsen spokesman said. “However, we have removed Paramount data from transactional files. We have made this data available in good faith over the past three months, even without Paramount as a client. Removing this transactional data is a necessary step to safeguard the investments of our paying partners. We remain open to future collaboration with Paramount under fair terms.  We’re engaged with select clients who are impacted and we’re guiding them through this update.”

The media information tapes are the only way ratings are posted through Mediaocean and don’t cost Nielsen any more money to provide, said an executive familiar with the industry. In fact, taking the ratings out of the MIT probably cost Nielsen money, the executive said, and appears to be a way to increase pressure on Paramount to come to terms.

Paramount’s contract with Nielsen ended Sept. 30, and VideoAmp has become Paramount’s currency of choice, despite pushback from some agency executives.

A letter announcing the change, effective immediately, went out Dec. 20. It comes at a time when retooling data feeds is particularly difficult, given that many agency staffers will be out for the holidays and agencies are finishing out their quarterly reports.

In a letter to clients, Paramount Advertising President John Halley said, “Paramount will continue to provide Nielsen with the first-party schedule and program information they require to accurately measure our viewership, incluing live events, as we always have. To be clear, Nielsen will be in possession of the relevant data but will be suppressing your access to that data. This decision was made by Nielsen and will affect the value and utiliaty of your Nielsen data tool licenses.”

Halley’s letter said Paramount will continue to send “stewardship plans” and other data for use of alternative currency and work with teams “to provide holistic supply looks at the market, in terms of that data, for use in your upfront planning. We understand this is disruptive. We will bear as much of the operational burden as possible.

“We look forward to our conversations around our performance this quarter, and how we can continue to deliver and improve moving forward, as we all learn together how to manage this ever-evolving marketplace.”