How do TV broadcasters calculate audience figures?

[iandbeech]

Just wondered, is it based on average occupancy per house for instance or is it more technical than that?

[rsvmilly]

I think they ask their auntie if she watched Eastenders. They then multiply her by 10,000,000 to get the viewing figures. It goes up at Christmas when uncle watches it too.

[Fish]

there is an offical independant company which puts little data loggers on a selected cross section of the population. This data is then extrapolated up to give the viewing figeres.

[JonRB]

Fish said:

there is an offical independant company which puts little data loggers on a selected cross section of the population. This data is then extrapolated up to give the viewing figeres.

Indeed. I believe they even have little cameras to tell how many people (if any) are watching that particular TV and adjust the weighting accordingly.

I would imagine that they pay people for this invasion of privacy, thus instantly skewing the results.

I mean, if a street survey only surveys the type of person who would agree to do a survey, then it follows that the TV viewing figures are a survey of the viewing habits of the type of person who would agree to be monitored.

Edit: And if I had been just 5 mins earlier it would have been me who looked informed and knowledgable rather than fish.

>> Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 4th May 08:24