The way TV ratings are measured in the USA, as well as many other countries, is decades old, and based a lot on broad estimation and guesswork. This leads to all kinds of problems where TV networks schedule shows based on this data, or even cancel shows which actually have large fan bases, because the ratings suggest otherwise. Here we take a look at how ratings fan base are currently measured, and why this no longer fits with the way many Americans choose to get their TV fixes:
What Are Neilsen Ratings, and How Do They Work?
Neilsen ratings are the main means of measuring how many people are watching a given station at a given time and hence the ratings for a given television broadcast. Invented and managed by the company Nielsen, the system is based on boxes installed in a proportion of homes that monitor what is being watched.
From this data, trends are analysed and possible viewing figures are extrapolated. This means that when you see that a given sporting event, or occasion like the Royal Wedding, gains record breaking viewing figures, this may not actually mean there really were more people watching this broadcast than any other broadcast in history, or in a given year. It is simply thought that there were, based on how many people with Nielsen boxes watched it.
Neilsen ratings also only take into consideration live broadcasts, so if somebody records something with a service like TiVo, or watches it with their TV provider’s on demand service either through their TV box or online, it will not be counted.
Why This Simply Doesn’t Work Anymore
The average TV installation service includes all kinds of convenient ways people can watch their favourite shows, as and when they like. This means that a lot of people don’t watch TV at its scheduled times any more. While some extremely popular shows may be an ‘appointment to view’ for some people, and things like the news and sports will always be watched live, when it comes to the average sitcom or drama, the live audience when it is first broadcast gives no real indication of how many people will have ended up watching that show that week.
Additionally, some people like to save up shows so they can watch a whole season in a marathon, meaning they don’t have to wait to get the full story. This means that the number of people who end up watching the show as a DVR recording or on demand could continue to rise for a while after the show has finished airing.
With people’s viewing habits and options having changed so much from their pre-digital, pre-internet state, this antiquated means of judging the popularity of a TV product produces figures that can’t be relied upon. The industry will soon need to come up with a new way to count real viewing figures, or to combine analysis from Nielsen with other forms of data, for example how much certain shows are being discussed on social media and blogs.
Featured images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/icon-diagram-bar-cartoon-graphics-37717/?rf=api_jitendraag
Today’s featured contributor, Kate Harris, is a private investigator. She also works as a security consultant at AAA Satellite, one of the leading manufacturers of business security equipment. In her spare time, she likes to write blogs about various types of security systems used in businesses.