The biggest factor in TV ratings is how many people are watching the show. A larger audience means more commercials during the program. However, the number of viewers is not a guarantor of the quality of a show. The quality of the presentation and genre of the television program are just a few of the many factors you need to consider when judging it.
Nielsen is a major provider of TV audience measurement and statistical sample. Nielsen monitors television viewing habits via panels of panelists. These include households. This information is shared with television networks and advertisers. For instance, they can determine the best time of day to air a new show. They can also measure how often a particular show is watched, and how long it is watched for.
Nielsen uses statistical sampling to calculate its estimates. In other words, it does not try to estimate the number of viewers on every cable box and digital antenna in the country. It instead uses a representative sample of about 20,000 households. It sometimes conducts special tests in order to verify its accuracy.
The number of viewers is an obvious way to get a TV show off the ground. However, it is more important to consider the amount of advertising dollars spent on that show. A network will have a greater chance of recovering their investment in programming if it has a higher rating. Also, a higher rating means more ad revenue. Producing a show with a good rating is the best way to get in the door.
One example is The Big Bang Theory. TBS produces a lot of money from the sitcom. Other shows that have been successful include ABC's The Office and Fox's Felicity.
The NCAA gymnastics championships are another notable example. They have reached a new viewing height. This is a remarkable feat. However, NBC's Sunday game are among the top three prime time shows for women 18-34. NBC's streak of six games with fewer viewers than one million was despite the popularity and appeal of hockey and basketball.
Television is a very popular medium for entertainment. In the U.S., there are 121million homes that have TVs. Nielsen reports that 60% of the broadcast audience is female. Women account for more than half the consumer purchases and have more purchasing power. Networks are constantly looking for shows that will boost their ratings.
Competition for viewers is fierce as in any other business. However, there have been a few shows who have done the opposite to their viewers. These include the Wild-Blues that saw its ratings increase from 0.43 and 0.41. On the other hand, ABC's Hockey Saturday, which has been going on for the past seven seasons, has seen its numbers rise to a record high.