Neilson's Needless Numbers

Just because I don’t watch in REAL time doesn’t mean I don’t REALLY watch.
 
(Disclaimer: I am crap with numbers.)

In 1930, 50 years ago, when Arthur Nielsen started his television ratings system, there were 5 networks and 3 channels that aired about 6 hours of content a day.  It was very easy to get a sense of what the public liked.  You were either watching television or you weren’t.  

Even in the olden days of VCRs and 25 basic cable channels (read: the 80’s), my dual antenna VCR and 8 hour EP recording tapes could ensure that I never missed a show.  Fast forward to now.  There are over 500 channels that I NEED to watch.  And suddenly I cannot not keep up.

So I upgraded to Tivo.  Oh bless you, Tivo!

This little box could not only record 2 shows at a time, but it could also find shows I had accidentally missed on ANY of my now 150 basic cable channels.  However, this amount of TV watching would not suffice for the The TV gods.  

I have to to admit the television Pantheon did help me out some:  expanding prime time programing to 11pm on weeknights.  Still no matter how hard I tried, anything starting at 10 pm had to be recorded to be viewed the next day. I just could not stay awake.  

Also, with the completely dreadful reality TV line up, I had full-on HOURs of time that I would not watch any programming at all on any network.  

And THEN CAME HULU!  And On Demand.  And life was sweet again.

(Cue the swelling orchestra and large dance number.)

But my happiness was short lived.  Because of Nielsen.  (Cue the booing.)

Because I couldn’t watch my shows in real time, Nielsen did not count my viewings towards the show’s ratings.  Suddenly, my 20 hours per week of television-watching did not count.  How crap is that!  

I am a FAN (a hardcore, loyal one at that).  I LOVE my TV and my television shows.  
Just because I do not watch them in “real-time” does not mean that I don’t REALLY WATCH them.

Nielsen’s needless numbers have been the death of some of my favorite shows and I feel partly responsible, because I (and others) watch them online.  

We are watching, just not on TV.

Here are some numbers for you.  In case you’re curious.
 
I am one person.  
12 is the number of hours of programming that I record on my DVR a night.*
4 is the the number of hours of programming I watch online every week.
5 is the number of hours of programming I watch On Demand every week.


This adds up. We need to be counted.  

Neilson needs new numbers.

*(see disclaimer above)


- Squirt