Do you TRUST the ratings system?

[SuperJediHero]

Besides sports, I really DON'T trust it at all! Sports is one type of show, I find both young and Old enjoy very much.

Like all these shows always getting high ratings on CBS, NO one ever talks about those online.

Lead me to believe MOST of the viewers of those type of shows are old and completely not computer-savvy!

Or these shows are really NOT that good to talk about, they watch and they have nothing to discuss online...

Yet people all talk about a show that's not really getting that high of a rating ALL the time!



Trust me, when I watch these CBS shows that's getting great rating I think they are SO boring! So, the question I have is, what young people actually love these shows? If their rating are so good, why people don't talk about them?


I can only think of the rating system is completely flawed and doesn't work, as my answer!

So, any TV execs going by what a rating a show gets, may think twice, if it's REALLY what the popularity of the show is? Or, simply what the popularity with OLD people is?

 

[Prison Mike]

I think the people who go online to talk about various shows are a small minority compared to the number of people who actually watch the shows. Not everyone has the time to discuss what's going on CSI or whatever other show there is.

 

[Manic]

I actually don't trust the ratings system. I studied broadcasting for a while (never got that degree, so I don't have the most clout when it comes to what I have to say). A lot of people in the TV industry are actually afraid to revise the ratings system. Every previous time they revised the ratings system to be more accurate (they used to rely on people writing in journals, once upon a time), they found that their audience estimates went down. I think they know that if they were to revise the system nowadays, certain top-rated programs will have significantly smaller audiences than their prior estimates (based on the current system) showed.

Currently, there are certain types of residences that don't receive Nielsen boxes (the things people attach to their TV sets to track what they're watching). Their random lottery of participants doesn't extend to college dorms, for example.

And let's not forget the biggest problem with the current Nielsen ratings system: They're guessing. Nielsen picks a general metropolitan area or market (in my case, that'd be the San Francisco market that extends across the SF Bay Area), sees how many people live in that market of a certain age/race/gender, and picks a proportionate number of limited people to put Nielsen boxes on their TV's to track what they're viewing. Basically, there's some a-hole out there who fits your same demographic, and they officially represent what you watch on TV. It's a system that runs under the assumption that one male between the ages of 18 and 40 can speak for all males between 18 and 40 in his area.

It's no more reliable than those college/scientific studies that hit the news about how x% of all people like the taste of cheese, based on a poll of a ridiculously small number of people.

 

[SuperJediHero]

Thanks for you insight, Manic. I agree! The ratings system is just Unreliable! The execs are looking at it wrong! The ratings system is a JOKE!!

 

[enterthemadness]

Ratings system is good? As if...most people in America don't own a Nielsen ratings box to put on their tv. Don't have one here for any of the 4 tv's.

 

[TheVileOne]

Here are my feelings on this. I don't trust it and I don't like it that it's the measuring stick for the all these shows and how all the networks and studios judge everything on these estimates.

Also the playing feel has changed with DVR, TiVo, VOD viewing, and online viewing. All of which can be done legally and officially quite easily now. And I question how much all of that is truly taken into account. I wish a more accurate system was made.

The problem is, the Nielsons is pretty much all we have. Until someone comes a long and invents a better system that can compete or replace it, it will continue. I wish it was the case, but until that happens, we stick with Nielson. I don't really trust political polls for the same reason because I think depending on what you do, you can achieve any kind of results you want.

 

[Catman]

the playing field has changed with DVR, TiVo, VOD viewing, and online viewing. All of which can be done legally and officially quite easily now. And I question how much all of that is truly taken into account.

It's taken into account. Trust me. I work for a local affilate. The problem is advertisers. They get more exposure from good ol' TV and stations make more money from it. With DVR and TiVO, people skip the commericals. Advertisers don't like that. With VOD and the the Internet, no one wants to watch 10 minutes of commericals and companies are afraid to piss off that crowd. So, till that little matter is solved, we're gonna have to deal with the nielsen ratings.

 

[TheVileOne]

Uh, VOD and the internet versions of the shows that are still ad-supported do not have 10 minutes of commercials. In fact, commercial interruptions are extremely limited. On Hulu it's like maybe a minute. For a one hour show on VOD, there are like maybe 2-3 minutes. Basically, nowhere near 10.

And honestly, more and more lately I'm more prone to watch a new episode on my VOD channel than when it comes on. I mean I DVR stuff too, but the VOD saves me pushing the fast forward button more (lazier passive viewing ).

But it's not just that there's iTunes, Xbox Live, and PSN as well. So does Nielson really include those numbers when a new episode debuts? I mean think about it, if you can buy something on iTunes, it can still be bought continually over a certain amount of time.

 

[Catman]

nowhere near 10.

That's what I said. The ads are limited and companies don't wanna risk pissing people off by adding more. So, as of now, the only way stations make money is through regular TV. And nielsen ratings is all they have to sell ad space.

 

[SuperJediHero]

I really think CoCo got screwed because of a FAILED rating system!

Soon will be Heroes, based on NBC's thinking, it won't last any longer!

 

[Prison Mike]

but Heroes really does suck.

 

[Ghostvirus]

Heroes is one of the biggest cluster f**ks I have ever seen. Every season they tried to dig themselves out of the hole they had previously dug. Only to bury themselves further.

 

[Shifty]

The rating system is a joke but thankfully there are newer options over the last ten years to help boost audience numbers, DVD sales as well, but as said before the way to make money is commercials. Product placement and hour long sponsors will occur more in the next decade but it won't get much better until 90% of America has DVRs which could be a long way off.

There is the weekly list of shows that are boosted by DVR viewings, clearly showing that millions of viewers aren't being represented by the system.

TiVo and other DVRs can track all your viewing habits so there are privacy concerns but they're the only way you can track what people are watching. I'd gladly sign on for a Nielsen box as I think anyone here would. A few years ago they shifted some boxes around to more Hispanic houses to better represent the population and some shows were hurt by that.

As for the CBS shows, they still are dominated by older viewers and most critics would say they're good but not great shows. Hence why CBS hasn't had a show nominated for Best Drama in the past five years while AMC, FX, Showtime and HBO have. CBS has found a way to thrive in this environment, it isn't great entertainment like cable has but CBS is making money and not an embarrassment like NBC.

Plus NCIS or the CSIs may not be talked about here there are 1000s of forums where they are.

 

[TheVileOne]

That's what I said. The ads are limited and companies don't wanna risk pissing people off by adding more. So, as of now, the only way stations make money is through regular TV. And nielsen ratings is all they have to sell ad space.

OK, but their are ads on VOD and online so while it not be as much as TV there is clearly some sort of draw there. And more people are watching TV shows on computer and just foregoing cable/satellite completely.

 

[BlackLantern]

well there is a group out there that ( and their name escapes me right now) that really wants to sit down with the FCC and really get a truly representative ratings system

the current system is terribly scattershot IMO

also Nielsen is probably on the hook with advertisers, if you try and cut the ad revenues out of TV, you kill a whole sector of business

 

[Dark Helmet]

It's taken into account. Trust me. I work for a local affilate. The problem is advertisers. They get more exposure from good ol' TV and stations make more money from it. With DVR and TiVO, people skip the commericals. Advertisers don't like that. With VOD and the the Internet, no one wants to watch 10 minutes of commericals and companies are afraid to piss off that crowd. So, till that little matter is solved, we're gonna have to deal with the nielsen ratings.

All commercials do is make me not want to buy what is being advertised. If advertisers don't like people skipping the commercials then guess what people don't like the commercials. Get with the program or piss people off. They lose money either way with pissing people & annoying people off. I am hoping that one day there is some kind of Cable / Direct TV Box where if you record something it automatically removes commercials if you want to save it before saving it. That would kick ass. I hope that everyone that records things skips the commercials. I know I do

 

[BlackLantern]

the problem there is that the money to produce and make tv, a good chunk of it comes from ad revenue

 

[Prison Mike]

would you guys rather have commercials or product placement within tv shows?

 

[Dark Helmet]

the problem there is that the money to produce and make tv, a good chunk of it comes from ad revenue

They will still not get any kind of decent amount of new costumers by annoying them by force

 

[BlackLantern]

well, the companies pay the networks for air time and commericals have been a part of media since the radio

 

[Dark Helmet]

would you guys rather have commercials or product placement within tv shows?

If its not by force & not annoying I would say product placement. I certainly don't pay attention to what people drink or eat when watching a show lol

 

[Dark Helmet]

well, the companies pay the networks for air time and commericals have been a part of media since the radio

Well since the companies don't care what we think of commercials I know I certainly don't care what a company thinks of people recording & fast forwarding them. They can get upset all they want but I am happy that most are using DVR & recording now

 

[Manic]

If its not by force & not annoying I would say product placement. I certainly don't pay attention to what people drink or eat when watching a show lol

We've already got product placement in addition to commercial breaks. It's just that product placements are subtle. If you cut out the commercial breaks, that subtlety is going to become insanely blunt. We'll go from a shot of the main character drinking a Coke to lines of dialogue within the show itself, touting the distinct flavor and refreshing qualities of Diet Coke with Lemon.

 

[Max J Power]

When deciding if I want to watch a show, I look at critical reviews/awards and fan reception, and try to find out if a show is similar to other shows I like. I don't pay attention to ratings.

Plus, a bunch of shows I like had low ratings at some point, which makes me think I shouldn't trust them.

 

[Manic]

I'd say 90% of the people on the Hype who watch a lot of TV are familiar with the concept of good shows with poor ratings. Very few here use low ratings as a reason to not watch a TV show.