WASHINGTON — Nielsen is incorporating a new measurement strategy, thanks to a new multi-year deal with Dish Network.

According to Nasdaq.com, in addition to using the 40,000-person panel that Nielsen is famous for, the company will use data from Dish’s set-top boxes to improve its measurement of local and national markets.

Dish’s collection of anonymous data from its 14 million subscribers’ set-top boxes will allow Nielsen to get a finer look at viewing patterns, particularly for niche shows and small markets. The data allows Nielsen to see what individual households are actually viewing instead of only estimating.

Dish’s data will also report viewing numbers for shows with fewer than 10,000 views, which was previously impossible due to Nielsen’s panel measuring system.