Shimmel has more than 25 years of market and audience research experience within the media information industry. In his new position, he will take a leading role in driving Nielsen’s evaluation of the impact of major innovations, such as DVRs and commercial audience ratings, on the television marketplace and developing corresponding research agendas for Nielsen. In addition, he will work closely on methodological issues.

He joined Nielsen Media Research from America Online, where he served as Vice President, Market Research since 2001. In that capacity, Shimmel was responsible for research across all of AOL’s business units, providing research support for AOL’s brand positioning and advertising, product and premium service development, programming and strategic initiatives.

Before AOL, Shimmel was President of Symmetrical Resources, Inc., from 1997-2001. Before that, he was with MTV Networks as Vice President of Audience Research, providing audience research support for MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon and Nick-at-Nite and MTV’s barter syndication division, One World Entertainment. Shimmel began his research career with Nielsen Media Research in 1979 as Research Manager.

Shimmel is a frequent speaker at media and industry events. He is a former chairman of the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau’s national research committee, and was a recipient of CAB’s Jack Hill Award for excellence and integrity in media research in 1993, and its President’s Award in 1990.

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