Viewing Figures

[katangel26]

Was anyone else disgusted when they found out how they record viewing figures? To say that a program gets 1 million more viewers than another program is absolutely ridiculous when those other 1 million might not know that they're watching it!!!! Anyone else somewhat surprised when they found out how it's done?

[THECORBYLOON]

Eh?

[katangel26]

Do you know how they get the figures when they say 'the x factor got watched by 7 million' or 'big brother final at highest peak of viewers'?

[THECORBYLOON]

No, but I am sure you will enlighten me.

[kempie]

Since I am certain that analysts do not contact every person in the UK (or elsewhere for that matter) and ask for their viewing history, it must be a safe bet that the figures are arrived at by guesswork (aka statistics).

[THECORBYLOON]

How do you expect me to be disgusted unless you tell what you mean?

[katangel26]

They put a recording box in one house that connects to the tv to show what channel your watching, they tell them to note on it when they have people come in, you have to note when they arrive, how many people there are and when they leave. My brother done it recently and he was told that his results would count as 5000 viewing figures. Not exactly exact are they!!

[Mattk]

no,but he is a representive percentage tho.they dont give boxes to all 60 million uk residents so for every person that does have one,their figure is obviously multiplied.

why would this upset you so much tho ? i watch progs that are only viewed by me and the neighbours cat but this doesnt make them any less enjoyable !

[katangel26]

It just annoys me when people bring into the arguement 'but this has more viewing figures so therefore your argument is pointless as mine gets more viewers' type of thing. Not many things irritate me, but that does lol. Don't get me started on No. 1's, same conspiracy lol

[THECORBYLOON]

There's about 26,000,000 TV Licences in issue so it's not practical to ask each household to keep a log on who watched what and when. Instead, the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) uses 5,100 households as a guide to audience viewing figures and that's why yir brother repreents about 5,000 other viewers. How else would you expect them to arrive at the figures?

[tonymclark]

katangel26, this is how the viewing figures are arrived at...

http://www.barb.co.uk

[Ethel]

I would be extremely resentful of my viewing habits being monitored by anybody.

The point is that BARB is truly independent and all the channels agree that there figures are true representations.

[katangel26]

Judging by what the homepage says, thats exactly what I said.