ESPN to study audience behavior beyond TV

NEW YORK

ESPN has announced a new audience measurement initiative designed to take into account television, radio, Internet, print and mobile.

ESPN XP will include multiple companies: Nielsen Co., Keller Fay Group, Knowledge Networks, Media Behavior Institute and Wharton Interactive Media Initiative. ESPN said Monday it will start to study audience behavior during coverage of the World Cup on its television networks and the other platforms of The Walt Disney Co. that are carrying the tournament from June 11 to July 11.

ESPN XP will move on to NFL and college football research later in the year and to other sports in 2011.

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ESPN is a unit of The Walt Disney Co.