BellaOnline Forums TV and Movies Prime Time TV Can Nielson tell the best shows?

How are new television shows this season being rated? In the past, Nielson ratings showed which shows were being watched on any specific night. However, with so many people using recording devices (VCRs and DVRs), some of the shows are not being seen for days. Does recording shows affect which ones will be cancelled?

Nielsen television ratings are reported as Live+SD, meaning the reports include live viewings, as well as DVR playbacks on the same day that the show aired. Reports of television ratings from DVR playbacks alone are not yet conclusive.

It's difficult to know if viewing television shows in playback would affect cancellation, or advertising, for that matter. There is the definite possibility of loss of advertisement - people who watch shows in playback are more likely to fast forward through commercials. My feeling on this is that playbacks would not have enough of an impact to warrant a full cancellation, but they may definitely affect advertising.

As the shift in television technology continues, though, advertisers will have to find a way to modify their methods for the changing needs of the public.

We were a Nielsen family last year. They paid us five bucks, in cash, in the package that was sent. Inside the package was a stackk of diaries for the week and we were supposed to write down the shows that we watched for the week in those diaries and send them back in.

There isn't a whole lot of technology involved with the Nielsen ratings.

Ohhh, you were a diary family! Interesting! Did they contact you?

Nielsen uses the diary method four times a year (during sweeps) as an additional rating instrument. Most of the ratings, however, are done through electronic meters that Nielsen "families" have in their homes throughout the year. The meters record viewing habits and the results are aggregated and interpreted in a variety of ways.

Right now Nielsen is developing a new meter that will indicate whether viewing is done in analog mode, digital mode, or both. It will track whether viewing is "active" or "passive," in response to the changing technologies now that DVR use is becoming more popular.

Danielle, my family was a Nielson family a few years ago and the following year they asked us to be a 'meter' family. I was resistant because I didn't want any kind of recording device on my cable since I use cable for my computer connections. I asked them to send me information on how exactly the meter worked. I wanted my engineering son and my girlfriend's husband (a computer geek) to check out things to see if there could be any risk to my data or any threat to my security. All they sent after my request was the information sheet to sign up which allowed them to 'hook up'. I just never sent the paperwork back to them. I am very concerned about my privacy being compromised with a device hooked up to my cable that is 'recording' our television viewing. I like the diary approach much better.

Trish

Trish, that would be my problem with being a Nielsen meter family, too. It's just so Big Brother-ish. I like the diary approach, too. I wonder how I would record all the channel flipping I do?!?

HAHAHA! That would be a problem, wouldn't it?

Trish

Danielle, I saved my 500th post for you! And yes, I would love to see the diary you would fill out. This system sounds very much like Arbitron ratings.