May 5, 2009
Two Cents
Process This, Nielsen
TV types have become shockingly immune to reading the words "Nielsen processing issues" on their Blackberries. It seems the ratings giant finds a reason to delay reporting numbers at least once a week.
But this week's Nielsen blackout—numbers for both Sunday and Monday had not yet been revealed as of late Tuesday; weekly ratings were also held up—has some industry insiders slack-jawed.
"It's outrageous," one veteran number cruncher told me today, throwing in a few four-letter words for good measure.
Inexcusable is the word that came to mind for me.
Networks have typically been reluctant to embrace the idea of funding an alternative ratings system, both because of the high cost associated with such a move and because of fear that a new system might prove that fewer people are watching TV than Nielsen says.
Cost remains a valid concern, but given how low ratings have gotten for many network shows, perhaps a new system—one that better accounted for time-shifting—might actually end up increasing viewer totals.
Comments 3
Andrew
I think it's a worthwhile investment to all television stations of all levels to have a better/ more accurage/ more reliable system in place to account for time delayed viewing and online viewing.
Julie
Don't forget that Nielsen now requires the stations to enter their own schedules. What exactly are we getting for our money?
Gary Brewer
Unfortunately, ad agencies are also aware of how antiquated the Nielsen rating system has become resulting in developing their own system of assigning program ratings.
Cable television has educated most of its clients to ignore Nielsen due to these deficiencies.