Off Topic - Nielsen Ratings

[AlaskaSU]

Ever wonder how TV people determine viewership? I'm one of the people that fills out stupid forms for Nielsen. Of course, I never miss a Cuse game and reporting it. I'm sick of participating but they bug me like every day to re-up. I'm hoping that maybe I can suggest a replacement and I want that replacement to be a Cuse fan. I assume that it would have to be someone living in Alaska or maybe WA or OR. Anyone interested?

You get a booklet that you are supposed to use to mark what you are watching, hour by hour. They pay you in advance a token amount, about $5 for each booklet. They send uncirculated dollar bills with the booklet. About once or twice a year they will send a new booklet. Each booklet covers one or two weeks.

 

[cuseattle]

What an antiquated system.

 

[shandeezy7]

Holy hell they still do that by hand? What in the actual hell? Isn't there a way with technology and so many people having digital boxes that they can't just track it that way?

 

[EastCoast2]

Can you do it if you rarely watch TV? I watch TV for maybe 30 minutes once or twice a week. Sports center here and there and of course SU basketball and other big college ball games.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Holy hell they still do that by hand? What in the actual hell? Isn't there a way with technology and so many people having digital boxes that they can't just track it that way?

You mean just leave the TV turned on all day long ... like they do it in Jersey?

 

[AlaskaSU]

Can you do it if you rarely watch TV? I watch TV for maybe 30 minutes once or twice a week. Sports center here and there and of course SU basketball and other big college ball games.

they never asked me how much TV I watch.

 

[upperdeck]

some are done by hand. some are done by devices.. they cant wire all the houses to get the stats so how else do people expect them to get numbers?

 

[EastCoast2]

I wouldn't mind doing it, since I'm about as close to a cord-cutter without actually cutting the cord as possible. Only problem is I live in CT, but that would be hilarious to report only watching SU football and basketball games while living in CT, and writing in "Netflix" in the "Other" category.

 

[Alsacs]

CuseTroop is in Alaska maybe he would be interested.

I was a Nielsen family when I was in High School. The biggest problem IMO is people lie about what they watch.

 

[AlaskaSU]

CuseTroop is in Alaska maybe he would be interested.

I was a Nielsen family when I was in High School. The biggest problem IMO is people lie about what they watch.

Maybe he could make the Fox? bar into a Nielsen rater.

 

[CuseTroop]

Maybe he could make the Fox? bar into a Nielsen rater.

I can even get the bartenders to remember to put the hockey playoffs on if I'm not there. No way they would remember to write down what they are watching

 

[Eric15]

The biggest problem IMO is people lie about what they watch.

Yeah I don't need anyone knowing that my wife and I watch "Fashion Police" on E! and I pretend to hate it but I actually think it's fairly entertaining.

 

[Scooch]

Diaries are only used in very small local markets. Most will be phased out soon. It's antiquated, but electronic metering is expensive and the ad revenue in those markets isn't much, thus local stations and ad agencies don't want to pay for the upgrade.

National ratings have been generated by passive meters since the 80s. Most major and medium sized markets have been metered since the 90s.

And you can't choose who gets it next. Nielsen uses an area probability sample for that so the data is representative.

 

[AlaskaSU]

I'm not surprised. They must have a hard time getting new representatives to keep a diary. They call me every day.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Diaries are only used in very small local markets. Most will be phased out soon. It's antiquated, but electronic metering is expensive and the ad revenue in those markets isn't much, thus local stations and ad agencies don't want to pay for the upgrade.

National ratings have been generated by passive meters since the 80s. Most major and medium sized markets have been metered since the 90s.

And you can't choose who gets it next. Nielsen uses an area probability sample for that so the data is representative.

I had a buddy in HS who was wired fro Nielsen, but it was an odd setup.

they had it on the 'main' tv in the living room, but most of the tv watching was viewed in their done over basement with the pool & foos tables as well as a nice wet bar.

he used to say that him and his bro & sis are not allowed to watch tv on the 'main' one as that's where his parents were being 'monitored' and they wanted an accurate depiction. the funny thing is, even when his dad wanted to watch the Yankees or football Saturday & Sundays, hed come down to the basement and watch with us.

granted that was the late 80s early 90s and maybe now they wire the whole house, but I have forever since thought the whole thing was screwed up.

 

[kirbivore]

My family was picked for radio ratings back in the 1990's. Write down what you listened to but just for one week.

 

[Scooch]

I had a buddy in HS who was wired fro Nielsen, but it was an odd setup.

they had it on the 'main' tv in the living room, but most of the tv watching was viewed in their done over basement with the pool & foos tables as well as a nice wet bar.

he used to say that him and his bro & sis are not allowed to watch tv on the 'main' one as that's where his parents were being 'monitored' and they wanted an accurate depiction. the funny thing is, even when his dad wanted to watch the Yankees or football Saturday & Sundays, hed come down to the basement and watch with us.

granted that was the late 80s early 90s and maybe now they wire the whole house, but I have forever since thought the whole thing was screwed up.

Today they measure every TV set in the house, no matter the size or location. They also measure every computer, smartphone, tablet, and streaming device (Roku, Apple TV, XBox, etc) if you opt in.