Exhibit 23.1

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated January 27, 1999 relating to the
financial statements, which appears in the 1998 Annual Report to Shareholders of
Nielsen Media Research, Inc., which is incorporated by reference in the Annual
Report on Form 10-K of Nielsen Media Research, Inc. for the year ended December
31, 1998. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report dated
January 27, 1999, relating to the financial statement schedule, which appears in
such Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the reference to us under
the heading "Experts" in this Registration Statement.

                                              PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

New York, New York
May 25, 1999