TiVo keeps asking me to sign up for better surveillance more detailed data collection so they can report accurate numbers. I don't *think* so. Anyway, if they looked at my in-depth usage, they'd see that I only watch ads if they're for movies: that's nobody's desired demographic.

means the whole conversation is just more uneducated speculation

Uhm.

I'm sorry. The circular conversations we have in here about ratings and cancelations, and whatnot make my skin itch and that came across more blunt than I intended. I'll try to clarify my point. Does it look good for Drive? No. Are any of us average American viewers? No.

We post at a posting board spawned by our love of a show that was never more than smart cult hit -- and it ended four years ago, with its ratings starting to decline. In general, we spend way too much time on the internet. Some of us go to conventions. Some of us run conventions. Few of us fill the bill of the typical American viewer coveted by advertisers.

Besides the fact that we're not all even Americans, an awful lot of us are early adopters of things like TiVoing (which means avoiding ads) and some people obtain the shows through means that are probably less than legal. We write blogs, fan fic, run fan sites, and make icons. When one of us ends up as part of a Nielsen family for a week (which has happened once or twice), it may well have been a mistake in judgment on Nielsen's part.

But? We always end up in this conversation, and when people talk as if the TV habits and opinions held by us and other people we "know" on the internet is indicative of anything, it makes me itch.

Of course, the fact that most Americans wouldn't agree to that, because they don't want people spying on them in their homes, means the whole conversation is just more uneducated speculation.

Of course if it meant that the shows I actually loved got to stay on the air I wouldn't care that much about the cable company knowing what I watched.

But, ARGH! I'm not talking about ratings!! It gives me the agita! The whole topic!

*passes Cindy some calamine lotion.*

Ha! Denise, I actually have a rash of unknown origin, and Walgreens was out of Calamine, last night.

Jessica, by "cable networks" I think he meant "cable companies" like Comcast, RCN, etc. [not cable networks (like Bravo, USA) versus broadcast networks (NBC, FOX, ABC, etc.)].

The numbers are the same, though -- people watching Fox/NBC/etc via cable/satellite are too small a segment of the population to stand up against Nielsen ratings.

Really? I'm seeing figures like 84% of households have cable TV, now. [link] This site reports 68% as of 2003 [link]

Wiki says 'most' American households receive cable, but doesn't quantify it, here: [link] and 'the majority' here: [link]

Granted, your point stands. Whatever the actual percentage is, it is only a percentage and leaves out a significant section of the audience -- all the people watching from the airwaves. Nielsen can select households to correctly represent cable viewers versus broadcast viewers.

Topic!Cindy, no problem. For what it's worth, I've never suggested people at conventions etc are a typical TV audience. They're clearly not. In the UK, "Doctor Who" is a rare sci-fi show which does well because it attracts 2 point 4 children families, which are openly acknowledged as the families our ratings companies target. Most other sci-fi shows here do rubbish, as they don't attract mummies and daddies with kiddies to watch. Which is an obvious bias. What I will say is that the viewing habits of people outside the mainstream should be counted. Which is obvious.

When we had Nielsen in today, they implemented a system which allows my company to track what food people buy at UK supermarkets. The leading UK supermarkets supply their till data to Nielsen, who supply it to us now. We can search and find a product bought at whatever store at whatever time. It allows for great statistical analysis, and allows us across the board to see what's selling, where, when etc. Privacy has obviously gone out the window, like.

ETA: When I worked at Telewest (now Virgin Media), we used to gather and analyse TV viewing habits.

Jackal, I'm unsure if it's okay to post things heard 'round the Drive office. Unless Tim says it cool. In which case, disregard my mommying.

You're probably right - I'll delete. I didn't post anything that controversial, but I just didn't want Kevin being dealt the smackdown when he wasn't completely wrong.