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   XPost: rec.arts.tv, alt.tv.scifi.channel   
   From: your.name@isp.com   
      
   In article , "catpandaddy"   
    wrote:   
   > "Your Name"  wrote in message   
   > news:ibunfc$e9o$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...   
   > > "cloud dreamer"  wrote in message   
   > > news:7fCdnfKUqZsd43_RnZ2dnUVZ_vWdnZ2d@supernews.com...   
   > >> On 16/11/2010 9:09 AM, Neil Rieck wrote:   
   > >> > [...snip...]   
   > >> >>   
   > >> >> That's not how the rating system works. Neilsen has a set number of   
   > >> >> meters out there in selected homes. They base their numbers on them   
   > >> >> and   
   > >> >> extrapolate total viewership from the sample set.   
   > >> >   
   > >> > The measurement boxes are expensive so they (Nielson) still support a   
   > >> > larger paper diary system which allows people to lie (network bias).   
   > >>   
   > >> They would statistically lie in equal numbers so the difference would be   
   > >> negligible.   
   > >>   
   > >> So, tell me. What else are they supposed to do???   
   > >>   
   > >> Until they can start collecting data live from DVRs, what other system   
   > >> are they supposed to use???   
   > >>   
   > >> If they can't rely on people to tell the truth in the diary portion of   
   > >> their polling, they have to rely on the meters. If they're that   
   > >> expensive, they have to rely on extrapolated data and conclusions.   
   > >   
   > > Meters are no better than diaries. You would have to have a meter attached   
   > > to every TV in the house, as well as recording devices and download sites.   
   > > You would also have to determine whether anyone is actually watching the   
   > > TV or simply tuning in to some "news" show because they think thye should,   
   > > but in reality are in another room eating dinner or whatever.   
   >   
   > YN, this next question is not meant sarcastically, I promise.  Granting that   
   > meters and diaries and all that don't work, can you give me a thorough idea   
   > how you would set up your ideal system to work, assuming resources were no   
   > object and you had the entire say-so about the project?   
      
   Obviously you would survey EVERYONE, but as I said just now, that still   
   won't guarantee fully accurate results thanks to the many morons on the   
   planet.   
      
   At the very least such decisions should take into account people outside   
   the original country (unless of course it's a show only for that country).   
   Some shows do better in other countries.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)