What private equity knew with Nielsen, then called VNU, is that it was a transformation.

FORBES: How Nielsen Cut Its Debt Load, Delivered A Dividend And Scooped Up Arbitron

Meanwhile, analysts have said VNU's saga is likely to continue: it's now a target for a breakup or takeover.

FORBES: VNU Scraps $6.8B IMS Deal, Van Den Bergh To Quit

VNU's chief financial officer, Rob Ruijter , is now doing his damndest to assure them of the benefits of the deal.

FORBES: Magazine Article

But VNU's notoriously rebellious shareholders are another matter entirely.

FORBES: Van Den Bergh's VNU Board Agrees To $8.9B Buyout

And the faces behind the bid for VNU?

FORBES: Van Den Bergh's VNU Board Agrees To $8.9B Buyout

Despite being a prolific tab-keeper on what we all want, market research firm VNU was taken slightly aback when its own shareholders refused to endorse a planned merger that would have doubled the company's size.

FORBES: VNU Scraps $6.8B IMS Deal, Van Den Bergh To Quit

VNU. But cutting costs can be hard.

ECONOMIST: Media firms and private equity

"We believe there was a compelling business rationale for combining VNU and IMS that would have resulted in a stronger company and increased shareholder value over the longer term, " he was quoted by The Associated Press as saying.

FORBES: VNU Scraps $6.8B IMS Deal, Van Den Bergh To Quit