Don't you think they need a better system for collecting data for TV Ratings?

[homestarmy]

Maybe if they had a better system, shows wouldn't get cancelled so often.

Does Nielsen still use the Black Boxes? Couldn't they somehow monitor it on the sender's end and find out how many people are tuning in? Couldn't Tivo provide data for what is being recorded? Subscribers would have to agree, but it would save their favorite shows.

It just seems like no matter how much I watch a show, it's not going to affect the ratings. No matter how many people I tell, it won't affect the ratings, as I know no one with a Black Box and no one has mentioned to me that they know someone with one.

Actually, there was one African-American girl who said that someone in her family had one and left it turned on on PBS to "make a statement". What complete idiocy.

 

[mpitts]

"That's completely uncalled for, Burgundy. You know those rating systems are flawed. They don't take in account houses that have... uh... more than two television sets... and...other things of that nature."

 

[jlbenedict]

I know three years ago, when I was unemployed, I interviewed for a position for where I would have been installing those "rating" boxes. So, three years ago, they apparently still used them. I'm sure it hasn't changed much.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: mpitts
"That's completely uncalled for, Burgundy. You know those rating systems are flawed. They don't take in account houses that have... uh... more than two television sets... and...other things of that nature."

That's what I was thinking

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Somewhere on this forum is a thread in which an ATOT member stated that ratings were taken by the broadcasting companies measuring how much of the television signal was pulled out of the air by antennae. :laugh:

 

[Spacehead]

A couple of years ago they sent me a form to fill out for the week... what channel i watched, how long i watched it, how many people were watching, etc.

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: Spacehead
A couple of years ago they sent me a form to fill out for the week... what channel i watched, how long i watched it, how many people were watching, etc.

We got one of those too a few years ago.

But yea, I've always wondered how they get accurate numbers. For example yesterday morning, they were talking on the radio about how many viewers there were for several Sunday night shows. How do they really know how many viewers there were.

 

[DnetMHZ]

In this article from 4 years ago, Neilson was already testing a system to monitor tivo usage.

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-948580.html


If they monitored my tivo they wouldn't find a single show ever from ABC/CBS/NBC.

 

[I Saw OJ]

Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I know three years ago, when I was unemployed, I interviewed for a position for where I would have been installing those "rating" boxes. So, three years ago, they apparently still used them. I'm sure it hasn't changed much.

My parents had those black boxes installed in their house a couple years ago. What a pain in the ass they were. Each tv set you used you have to "log in" and each channel you changed it to, you had to conferm you were watch it by pessing a bunch of buttons or the boxes would start going crazy and flashing lights all over the place. Plus if you watched a channel for more than like 20 minutes without changing the channel the light would go crazy again. All in all it was a real pain in the ass and not worth the like 50 bucks a year they paid them.

 

[homestarmy]

Only $50 a year? That pretty much guarantees the only people who will keep them are white trash.

Great.

 

[BillGates]

Originally posted by: homestarmy
Only $50 a year? That pretty much guarantees the only people who will keep them are white trash.

Great.

Why do you think reality TV shows get such "high ratings?"

 

[jme5343]

Originally posted by: homestarmy
Only $50 a year? That pretty much guarantees the only people who will keep them are white trash.

Great.

And now you know why Jerry Springer, Dr. Phil and Oprah are still on the air

 

[SagaLore]

Maybe they should monitor how many people illegaly download the shows with p2p.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ

Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I know three years ago, when I was unemployed, I interviewed for a position for where I would have been installing those "rating" boxes. So, three years ago, they apparently still used them. I'm sure it hasn't changed much.

My parents had those black boxes installed in their house a couple years ago. What a pain in the ass they were. Each tv set you used you have to "log in" and each channel you changed it to, you had to conferm you were watch it by pessing a bunch of buttons or the boxes would start going crazy and flashing lights all over the place. Plus if you watched a channel for more than like 20 minutes without changing the channel the light would go crazy again. All in all it was a real pain in the ass and not worth the like 50 bucks a year they paid them.

pretty sad, if its that painful to use its garranteed unreliable.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Maybe they should monitor how many people illegaly download the shows with p2p.

yea i'm sure there are shows that have their shows massively underrated. young people p2p, and then share amounst themselves for even more distribution. but its essentially irrelevant since theres no commercials, and thats the only reason for ratings after all, numbers for pricing commercial spots and luring advertisers. course i guess it can sort of translate on hd broadcasts, people do watch shows they really like in hd cuz its just badass

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ

Originally posted by: jlbenedict
I know three years ago, when I was unemployed, I interviewed for a position for where I would have been installing those "rating" boxes. So, three years ago, they apparently still used them. I'm sure it hasn't changed much.

My parents had those black boxes installed in their house a couple years ago. What a pain in the ass they were. Each tv set you used you have to "log in" and each channel you changed it to, you had to conferm you were watch it by pessing a bunch of buttons or the boxes would start going crazy and flashing lights all over the place. Plus if you watched a channel for more than like 20 minutes without changing the channel the light would go crazy again. All in all it was a real pain in the ass and not worth the like 50 bucks a year they paid them.

That confirmation thing sounds like it would drastically skew results..