Nielsen was educated at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he received a B.S., summa cum laude in electrical engineering[1] in 1918.
measuring product sales at a random sample of stores to determine market share.
The techniques developed by Nielsen were especially important for the efficient operation of a market prior to the introduction of computerized digital networks that in the 1990s enabled continuous and comprehensive monitoring of sales by product retailers.
[2] Nielsen inaugurated a National Radio Index for broadcasters and advertisers in 1942, followed by a television ratings service in 1950.
He graduated from the University of Wisconsin and married Patricia McKnew; the couple had two sons, Arthur II and Chris, and a daughter.
Arthur Charles Nielsen Jr was described by The New York Times as having institutionalized his father's innovations, including "urging" the company to purchase a $150,000 Univac computer in 1948.