We have been a Nielsen home for a week.

[ChrisMC]

And it's actually more of a pain than I thought it would be to write down everything you watch and your kids watch and all that. I know, lazy American speaking here. But, I was pretty excited when they called because I have complained so loudly about shows I was starting to really enjoy getting canceled. V, Sarah Connor, I was really warming up to SGU, heck even Enterprise got killed due to low ratings. So, it's cool to have an opportunity to make somewhat of an impact and give shows I enjoy some ratings.

[billybob476]

You have to write it down? I thought there was a box attached to your TV or something.

[turtlesrock]

You have to write it down? I thought there was a box attached to your TV or something.

yea, same here. sounds cool though. a more democratic kind of choice on what shows to keep. cool. :)

[Feathers]

You have to write it down? I thought there was a box attached to your TV or something.

Ditto. That's what I was going to post.

I'm not sure writing it down would work in my house as I can't say I'm always in the room to check just what kids shows the kids are actually watching (plus I'd have to get my wife on board).

In this day and age I really thought it was technologically monitored.

Do the ratings cover cable and satellite channels too? I'm assuming that anything that requires a set-top box should be perfectly capable of logging its own output (unless you need to record who is actually sitting in front of it?).

[ChrisMC]

Yeah, it's definitely about who's watching when. It's all about demographics.

[ChrisMC]

Found out from a co-worker that used to work for Nielsen that the big markets (Ny, LA, Chicago) have boxes that record what's being watched, that's how they get obvernight ratings but in smaller markets (Port Charlotte, Florida...not a big market? phooey) the diaries are necessary. Anyway, I'm glad to give ratings to the shows I like.

[Rico]

A very long time ago after Lynn and I got married we got one of those little booklets to write down what shows we watched too.  Kind of fun at the time.