how do tv channels record/obtain viewing figures for programmes?

Answer 1

There is actually a large group of homes that have their TVs monitored. (they know about it, of course) Companies then can get an idea of what different types of people are most likely to be watching, and the message they want to send to them.

Answer 2

I used to work for the company in the uk who does this, so I can answer this with some confidence!

A cross section of the public have a set-top box installed to their tv, it monitors the tv and records when it's switched on, what channels are watched at what times and when it's switched off. There is a remote control with the box, and each member of the household is allocated a different button on the remote by the installing engineer, when they are watching the tv they press the button, when the stop watching the tv they press it again.

The set top box is also connected to a phoneline, a central computer dials up all of the set top boxes in the middle of the night and downloads all of the information. The information is then compared against a database of programmes that were on when the tv was being watched and when the information is collated it is passed on to the broadcasting authority who then issue it to the tv companies and the media etc.

You can't ask to have one of these set-top boxes and if you do have one you don't get paid for using it.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

Three methods.

With free to air terrestrial analogue and digital they use set-top monitors in a cross section of homes (known to those homes using them) which record viewing habits.

Direct canvassing either by telephone on the day or accosting people in the shopping centres later.

With some subscription-based digital services (Sky in particular) you connect your box to a telephone line. Every few days it calls a freephone number and uploads every show you watched to the TV provider. The provider does tell you this in your contract and you get a "discount" off the "normal" subscription fee for the service so long as you keep the telephone line connected.

Answer 4

The viewing figures are obtained by armies of people in shopping arcades and in other places where there are a lot of passers by, together with a number of interested regulars that are known to the pollsters.
I am surprised you have not been canvassed.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

I know the tv companies installed random boxes in certain homes (with thier consent) and they took the data and knocked it about to make a national average

Answer 7

so many thousand tv's have a little mouse inside and he counts all the channels that are viewed. he then phones in with the info and is rewarded with a cheese butty

Answer 8

^^^^^what he said. It's scary, TiVo reports who watches what Super Bowl commercials, when and how many times they rewinded them, etc. They really use that "daily call in" to download what you do every second.

Answer 9

They ask the electric companies how much extra electric was used when there programme finished.

because when it finishes people put the kettle on.