Nielsen Survey by thiefjehat

TALK STORY

Nielsen Survey

POSTED BY: THIEFJEHAT
UPDATED: Saturday, May 28, 2005 09:56
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VIEWED: 5640
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Monday, April 25, 2005 10:58 AM

I have always wondered what it actually takes to get a Nielsen survey. I've wondered this as I join fansites and sign petitions to save shows. The sad fact of the industry is that 1 Nielsen vote is worth more than many hundred petition signatures.

Last week I went home from my workplace to eat lunch. The phone rang. Now, usually such calls are from people who want to consoliate my debt or sell me lawn treatments or whatever... But this time the young girl on the phone informed me she was with the Nielsens. I perked up at that. She asked me several demographic questions then asked about what I watch. I flooded her with info about shows that I've read about on this site along with a few others. However, on the spot I was unable to do us all justice I'm afraid. But the good news is that she asked if I would be willing to recieve the offical Neilsen survey diary and fill it out with the shows I watch. I agreed.

Now, the reason I'm posting this is because the diary arrived at my doorstep today. I would like to take the opinions of this community to heart in order to do us all justice. Like I said above, 1 Nielsen survey diary entry carries more overall weight than many signatures on a petition to save a show. It's so sad that this is true but it is. I personally believe that the current system to establish ratings for shows is often a riduculous way to measure the worth of a show. However, I also understand that this system is very well established and there is really no changing it. Because of that, I want to make my diary entries count.

So now I ask you all....what should I "watch". (in quotes because while I might write something down, the likelyhood that I'm either working on my house or asleep is quite high.)

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Monday, April 25, 2005 11:18 AM

EMBERS

My boss in Washington, DC once had a Nielsen diary sent to him, and he managed to become a 'Nielsen Family'
in his diary he carefully listed all the shows he watched and then in the 'essay' section he wrote that he felt that single people were under represented and Gay people were not represented at all. Evidently the Nielsen company agreed and hooked up his TV and VCR.

More recently a friend here in Iowa was sent a diary and she carefully filled out the form and also put in a plea to be made a Neilsen family, her argument was that childless couples living in small rural towns were under represented...but evidently the Nielsen's disagreed because no one came and hooked her up.

sooo, what am I saying?
Please please put a vote in for Veronica Mars (on UPN Tuesday nights)
and I haven't a clue what they are looking for.

good luck!

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Monday, April 25, 2005 11:37 AM

STEVETHEPIRATE

It may be a bit pre-emptive, but it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and put Tim Miner's "The Inside" on there. It hasn't even started yet, but it's on Fox, and we all know what that means.

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This slot in STEVEthePIRATE's signature rotation is blank.

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Monday, April 25, 2005 11:41 AM

JAHZARA

I'm right there with you, Embers.

Veronica Mars rocks! Totally put Veronica Mars. I'm so relieved it got renewed.

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Monday, April 25, 2005 11:46 AM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by STEVEthePIRATE:
It may be a bit pre-emptive, but it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and put Tim Miner's "The Inside" on there. It hasn't even started yet, but it's on Fox, and we all know what that means.

er
I think you should stick to shows that are actually on the air during the week of your diary,
I'm pretty sure they'll notice if you try to list shows you couldn't possibly have seen!
LOL
(but I'm with you, I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing 'The Inside' in August)

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Monday, April 25, 2005 12:00 PM

THIEFJEHAT

OK...Veronica Mars...check. Haven't watched that before but I'll do so this Tuesday.

I have also had requests by others to include Lost, Alias, and Arrested Development.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Monday, April 25, 2005 12:28 PM

GUNRUNNER

'Enterprise' Fridays at 8 (UPN). Yea I know it’s going to be canceled but it least it should die fighting and leave the framework in place for a future series in a few years.

NCIS Tuesdays at 8 (CBS). Better than CSI and JAG IMHO. Although if its at the same time slot at Veronica Mars feel free to put that show in since NCIS is probably in less danger of cancellation since its gone for 2 or 3 seasons already.

Numb3rs Fridays at 10 (CBS). I feel it’s a fairly original crime drama, which is saying something in these days of 4 Law & Orders and 3 (4th Coming soon?) CSIs.

(All times listed are Eastern Daylight Time)

EV Nova Firefly mod Message Board:
http://s4.invisionfree.com/GunRunner/index.php?act=idx
My Other Site:
http://www.utnhq.com/TLAM_Strike/index.htm

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Monday, April 25, 2005 12:51 PM

PERIDIDDLE

There are some truly GOOD shows that don't get their credit...my personal favorites are -

Veronica Mars (UPN), Tuesday 8:00 PM Central Time
Scrubs (NBC), Tuesday 8:00 Central Time
Alias (ABC), Wednesday 8:00 Central Time

There are others, but those are usually in some kind of slight renewal peril. VM, of course, has been mentioned before...but I figured it's just too good not to mention again. ^_^

"Bwaa...it's kind of a warrior...strikes fear into the hearts of..."

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Monday, April 25, 2005 1:18 PM

MALICIOUS

I'd like to keep Dennis Leary's "Rescue Me" on the air, although I have no idea when the 2nd season starts.

"Lost," most definitely. I have yet to watch "Veronica Mars" but that should be on there. Oh, and Firefly, Buffy, and Angel.

Mal-licious

I think I will add cursing and the hurling about of things to my repertoire.

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Monday, April 25, 2005 1:19 PM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by GunRunner:
Numb3rs Fridays at 10 (CBS). I feel it’s a fairly original crime drama, which is saying something in these days of 4 Law & Orders and 3 (4th Coming soon?) CSIs.

oh I really agree NUMB3RS is great,
fabulous cast with a wonderful family dynamic,
plus all the cool 'math' stuff

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Monday, April 25, 2005 1:21 PM

GUNRUNNER

Oh before I forget.

Grey's Anatomy, Sundays at 10 on ABC.

House M.D., Tuesdays at 9 on (shutters) Fox.

EV Nova Firefly mod Message Board:
http://s4.invisionfree.com/GunRunner/index.php?act=idx
My Other Site:
http://www.utnhq.com/TLAM_Strike/index.htm

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Monday, April 25, 2005 1:54 PM

SPIKEANDJEZEBEL

Call me crazy, but i think you should only put down what you actually watch. Part of the problem with Neilson ratings is that people often write down what they feel they "should" be watching, or shows that they like but maybe didn't see that week. The numbers that the company compiles are then skewed. (Of course, a bigger problem is that they don't really take into account single people, college dorms, etc.)

I am in favor of something like Tivo, where the box itself can tell the company who watched what and when. I believe shows like Buffy & Firefly would prove to have a much higher viewership than previously believed. (Firefly, after all, was the most-Tivo'd show on television during it's run - if the Neilson ratings took this into account, it would still be on TV!)

"I like smackin' 'em!" - Jayne Cobb

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Monday, April 25, 2005 1:56 PM

JUXSA

no need to put lost since it is THE WED NIGHT SHOW!!! I would put down smallville and also Enterprise and BattleStar Galactica

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Tuesday, April 26, 2005 2:55 AM

THIEFJEHAT

Good info from you all.

I'm experiencing a conflict due to Veronica Mars and Scrubs being up against each other. I'm leaning to VM at the moment. As far as Enterprise goes, I will watch and write it down as well. Yea I know it's on the chopping block, but here's hoping that the franchise isn't dying. I actually was a loyal Enterprise watcher for all of season 1 and maybe half of season 2. But I just became more and more disinterested at what I perceved to be poor quality writing and a lack of knowledge by the people involved in Enterprise as to what the Trek-verse is supposed to be like. I was a loyal DS9 fan. Enterprise just didn't feel right.

Also, a neighbor of mine told me yesterday evening that I shouldn't forget the buffy re-runs on FX and Angel re-runs as well.

I also looked ahead on the Directv schedule and saw no slot for Lost. I stopped watching Lost when I realized I had joined it like 6 episodes in and I was totally out of order. I'm waiting until the DVD release to rent. I'd still like to get a Neilsen vote in for it though.

Man, why couldn't they have mailed this survey to me in the fall of 2002?

Oh and lastly, the survey diary states at the top that it starts Thurs April 28 and ends Wed May 2, so those are the 7 days I'm dealing with. The question I have now is how can I watch Enterprise when it's up against a larger foe than normal programming? I refer of course to the opening night for The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Tuesday, April 26, 2005 3:07 AM

JADEHAND

I'd say Lost and Alias, but as someone pointed out. Lost is already a big hit, no need. Smallville instead maybe. House is good. NCIS, Medium,CSI, maybe make a note that you're looking forward to "The Inside" but putting it in would be premature. oh, and the shows you like, you should totally put those in there too.

Visit WWW.Marillion.Com for a better way to live

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Thursday, April 28, 2005 4:01 AM

THIEFJEHAT

Today is the day my diary starts, Thank you guys for all your input. If anyone else has an idea chime in quick cause this window is closing one day at a time.

Today i'm starting by watching some buffy re-runs on FX so I can write them down! Go jossverse shows!!

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Thursday, April 28, 2005 4:41 PM

WYK

I also recommend Veronica Mars. I haven't been this gung-ho about a show since Firefly. The remaining 2 episodes of the season are supposed to be really good.

And if you need help catching up with the show, you can checkout www.marsinvestigations.net, A Beginner's Guide to Veronica Mars.

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Thursday, April 28, 2005 5:25 PM

RANGRBOB

Just please for the LOVE OF GOD don't put the reality shows in there.

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Friday, April 29, 2005 4:25 AM

THIEFJEHAT

Quote:
Originally posted by rangrbob:
Just please for the LOVE OF GOD don't put the reality shows in there.

I haven't any intentions of doing that. I watched survivor way way back when Richard Hatch won but I haven't paid that crap any mind since. It certainly won't go into the survey.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Friday, May 6, 2005 3:30 AM

THIEFJEHAT

Well the survey is over. I discovered that towards the back of the diary there is a space for you to list those shows you taped that were up against something else. I did some research and figured out that the Nielsens place more weight on what you actually watched than what you taped...but they do place some weight on the taped shows. This is because they're assuming you're watching the ads on the live airings and fast forwarding through the ads on tape. It certainly makes sense to me. So the short of it is this...if two shows you like are up against one another list the one in most need of a ratings boost as the one you watched live and support the other with a "I taped it" entry. A good example: I wrote that I watched Smallville and that I taped Lost. (Smallville needs support, Lost is a huge hit already)

Here are some of the results, I cannot remember them all because I just mailed it off.

Tues "Watched" Verionica Mars, "Taped" scrubs
Wed "Watched" Smallville, "Taped" Lost, "Watched" Alias
Fri "Watched" Enterprise THEN "Watched" Battlestar Galactica THEN "watched" Stargate SG1 THEN "Watched" Stargate Atlantis THEN cried because I realized I spent 4 hours of a Friday night watching TV. And I also "Taped" Numb3rs.

I included various daytime Buffy Re-runs on FX
and Angel Re-runs on TNT, I was careful to list them as if only my wife watched them so as not to disrupt their demographic view of us. I also was careful to write down that I watched the Daily Show EVERY DAY after work while preparing dinner. This is actually totally true. I love the daily show.

This statement gets it's own line: I did not write down Charmed. Screw you Charmed, I hate you.

I included some random shows that were on channels I watch like the History Channel and Discovery Science. When I'm not watching sci-fi I do have interests in astronomy and the history of warfare. I also included some quick 15 minute segments of Bloomberg Live as I watched investments. As for my wife we added some stuff she likes on Home & Garden TV and the food network. In all cases these shows were written in as long as they didn't conflict with suggestions from folks on this board.

A final note: I did not write down ANY reality TV. I wrote in the comments section a quick statement that I will never watch reality TV. Joss himself said it's terrible programming and I agree. Also written in the comments section was this statement: "We loyally watched the program Firefly when it aired on Fox from Sept 2002 until December 2002. It was taken of the air and we never understood why. If it ever re-airs we will watch it" I also added a statement about Wonderfalls. Finally, I mentioned our interest in "The Inside", Tim Miners upcoming show.

Thanks all of you guys for helping me out. I think that some of you actually made a difference. Without your input I never would have written down smallville over lost or even thought of Veronica Mars or Arrested Development.

Here's hoping I'll become a Nelisen family.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Saturday, May 28, 2005 9:56 AM

THIEFJEHAT

Well, I was prepared to allow this thread to slowly make it's way to the bottom of the list until I heard the news:

Firefly reruns coming this summer to sci-fi.

AAARRGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

I missed my chance to strike a victory in the one true battle!! Oh cruel world....why do you mock me?

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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