Nielsen Will Measure TV ratings Among DVR Users

prostoalex writes "TV ratings publisher Nielsen is one company that got affected by the digital video recorder boom. With 7 million households recording TV shows and watching them on their own schedules, the concept of primetime changes, and the audience reporting is becoming skewed. So now Nielsen is launching a special program for DVR households, which would allow advertisers and TV executives to track the popularity of TV programs. Nielsen plans to distribute paper diaries among the households that use digital video recorder. Last time I did a Nielsen TV rating diary, they paid $5 a week."

Comments

Already signed up.

[Anonymous Coward]

My DirecTiVo asked me awhile ago if I wanted to participate. I don't mind sharing data on what TV I watch, and if it will report it automatically to help the shows I do enjoy be renewed and stay on the air, I think it's great. I've also done a radio diary once, it was a pain to keep track of. This will make the process a lot easier.

One thing they carefully will NOT measure...

[0WaitState]

Nielsen cheerfully tells you what shows are watched, but won't tell you whether the audience kept the commercials on, or whether they muted them, skipped forward, or changed channels for 3 minutes.

Actually reporting what commercials are viewed to completion with sound-on would radically change televsion programming and advertising.

Consider it community service

[Alcimedes]

Please, if you have a chance to sign up for these services, do so. And watch decent television. The sooner we can get the Reality TV craze off the air the better.

Re:Torrents?

[Hatta]

I wonder if they'll ever start surveying torrent downloaders of tv shows... :)

You misspelled subpoenaing.