How can they tell number of viewers of a certain tv show?

Answer 1

At the moment, they still do it as they have for decades. A research firm called Nielsen selected a whole bunch of families all across the country and these families complete a diary of what they watched that week and then they return it to Nielsen and they analyze the data and pass it on to the networks. I would assume, although I don't know for sure, that now most of the country gets either cable or satellite feeds that there would be some technology available to tell what people are watching. Of course, it would be easier to do that if every channel had a separate cable to your house; naturally it doesn't work that way. Phil

Answer 2

Networks, such as the Nielson Company, pay a certain amount of people (5000) a small amount each month to plug a special box into their TV, which is loaded with a cable and modem. This allows the company to monitor what people are watching and based on how many people watch, set the percentage of viewers who watch that particular show. For example, if 500 people watched LOST,then 10% of ALL household owners watch LOST. If you took statistics, you'll know that this method is very inaccurate.

Other than that, there is no sure way a television network can know how many people are watching. Don't believe everything you see on TV.

Unless--!--Maybe---Each tv set sold,as most such item's,having a serial number,thus show's who is the individual owner. A "hidden" module in the set relay's viewer information back to video media

electronic libraries.Owner would not "need" to be known for a simple numerical quantity reference.On the other hand,if there be a "chip" in the viewer's "noodule",Reaction's of the individual to the various presentation's could also be recorded.(social Protective And Betterment Service's device)Thus one could "dream" of life in the Land Of The Great "one-way mirror" offering,in addition to other thing's,fully consumating "one -way trip's" to an endless vacation land.---This all started as I read an article about "tribble's and some Klingon item's from that "other" world.The intricate "glyph" business in their lingo seemed a bit too complicated.

It's just that I felt some sympathy for Patrick McGoohan in The Prisoner.--Alias-?---(may have actually been McGooglehan)--Now that the world seem's to have become "The Village"---who can tell ??

TV ratings are determined by estimating the total audience size (that is, everyone watching TV), and breaking down the proportions of different Demographics: age, gender, ethnicity, political affiliation, education, income level, geographic location, etc. Different companies use various methods to determine what audience watched what show, and for how long. Phone surveys are often used (they call a lot of people and ask them what they watched, whether they liked it, and then a bunch of questions about their age, income level, etc. They make statistical results (spreadsheets, etc) showing what groups and subgroups watched what. Others will pre-select (generally paid) volunteers to track what they watch. This pre-screened group will fill out their various demographic category lists (a certain proportion of each category to represent the same proportion of that category in the TV watching population; For example, if 8.5% of the nation's TV watching people are male, aged 18-25, high school graduates making $25-50,000/year income and living in the New England area, then they make sure that right around 8.5% of their pre-screened test group fit in that category). The Ratings company will typically have their test group keep a detailed journal of their viewing habits, or may have a recording device attached to the TV to track the time and channel being viewed (the famous A.C. Neilson Co. has used both methods for its test groups, known as Neilson Families). These are estimates, of course, and often phone and internet surveys are used to verify the numbers are accurate. Generally, the statistics are reasonably close, though rarely spot-on. Basic trends are usually represented, though: more people viewing a show than a month ago, more people watching the new episode of Lost than the Cops reruns, etc. New factors come up all the time, and are slowly considered as part of the whole picture: for example, the use of VCR's to view a show later had started being tracked, and, more recently, DVR's. All these numbers determine viewership of different shows, which determine what the broadcast stations can charge advertisers for showing their commercials (i.e., how much money the broadcasters make).

Answer 3

In the UK a "panel" of viewers is selected by BARB (British Audience Research Bureau). The panel is made up of a cross-section of the British public. The simple technical description is that each house has a box installed which monitors the channels viewed both "live" and programes that are recorded and viewed later. Every night BARB's computers connect to the logging boxes and upload the day's viewing data.

So BARB know which members of the panel view a particular programme, and they also know the demographic data of each of the panel households (whether they are manual workers, management level, unemployed, etc). Using this information the BARB system can calculate what the likely total viewing figure across the country is for any given programme.