I’ve mentioned several times in the past that the current tv ratings system is flawed. I figured I’d expand on that with a quick explanation. Basically, Nielsen is a company that monitors tv shows based on number of viewers. But the TOTAL amount of viewers is not exactly what matters. What DOES matter (at least for major networks like FOX, CBS, NBC and so on) is the number of viewers in the key demographic range of 18-49 because those people are most likely to buy the products they see in the commercials between shows. For example, though Harry’s Law had a great total audience number, it’s 18-49 rating was very low as the show had a much older audience. It was cancelled earlier this year after 2 seasons.
But the problem with Nielsen system is that the tv viewing habits have evolved considerably in the last decade with the growth of the internet. This can help explain why there is so little sci-fi out there these days on tv. Most sci-fi fans are fairly tech-savvy and this often means that they are more likely to record their favourite shows and watch them a day or week later, stream them online (through legal or illegal sources) or even torrent them. All of these methods of watching the show do not count for much of anything because they aren’t a live tv audience who is forced to sit through the commercials that fuel the industry.
For example, in the letters to Netflix and MGM that were posted yesterday as part of the Save Stargate Universe letter writing campaign, they mention that SGU has great DVR ratings and was one of the top torrented shows while on the air. That shows that though there was definitely an audience for the show, they were watching it in a way that just happens to not make Syfy or MGM money. That is why Netflix is a great option for serialized genre shows that people often like to watch all together like a 22 hour movie and not once a week for a year because they don’t care what you are watching and when you do it, as long as you pay for a subscription.
In conclusion, the Nielson system is flawed and outdated. They have to start including online viewing into their ratings totals because the consumer’s habits are evolving and Nielson is stuck in the past of “appointment-based” viewing. We are now in the on-demand era and they need to adapt.
Also, yesterday, news broke that Nielsen is also rigged as apparently they are “manipulating viewership data in favor of channels that are willing to provide bribes to its officials.” No surprise there… You can read about that story here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/nielsen-sued-billions-manipulated-ratings-355829
Any questions?
-Tom
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