Can Nielsen track HD viewing yet?

I hear what you are all saying. Let's do this.


I haven't agreed to anything as yet. I do have the two one dollar bills they sent me; unsolicited I might add


Nielsen and the boadcast industry has an agenda. I, too, have an agenda and that is more HD as well as the right to time shift.


If we participate in the survey it will be done honestlly as to what my family actually watchs. They cannot expect more than my being honest.


At the same time, I will "push" my agenda if I can. If Nielsen wants to disqualify me, that is fine. But then I would think they want to know my viewing "habits" whatever they are.


However, I think this is a great topic for the FORUM so let's continue it to a later day after I've received the material, read the fine print, and, probably filled out the Nielsen books.


So please DO NOT DELETE. I'm in this for the fun. It will be interesting to see how NIELSEN addresses the TIVO issue. But I promise to be fair with NIELSEN meaning I will write down what programming I actually watch (or record) as they request.


But I sure as Hell reserve the right to talk about the experience as a later date on the FORUM.


See you then.

I don't know what the metered panel families sign to; but, as a former Govt. contracting officer for many years, I know that the sweeps diaries my wife and I filled out and returned almost against our will nearly a year ago will not be used to prosecute us for coming out of the closet today Feb. 19, 2005 on the AVS Forum. I don't philosophically believe in suing or counter-suing, but if they try I'll get a good lawyer.


Neilsen has gotten some serious criticism not too long ago, as I vaguely recall, for its methodology and it didn't involve or relate to disclosure by participants. I believe it was much more substantive than that, so Neilsen has greater problems than to have a confidentiality compliance police force in operation. Below web posting is kind of enlightening, so at least my wife and I are gonna relax. And Mike in his first contact was clearly not impressed upon about confidentiality; and I'm still doubtful that we ever had to affirm we'd hencefoth forevermore remain silent about filling out the diaries. But Mike can let me know.
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After it is over, you can talk all you want about it and no, no one goes to jail over something like this. They just don't count your diary.


Nielsen takes this so seriously that stations promotions during ratings are looked at and if Nielsen determines that the promotions are too much, they will disqualify a station from that ratings. If the tallies of diaries are shown to be too far leaning, they can and do remove whole markets. It averages out to about one market a book.


Nielsen has a reputation to protect and contracts that have to have legal protection with the stations and they will not hesitate to disqualify a family if it means it keeps their reputation. We in the broadcast business have to sign agreements with Nielsen, through our employers, that state if we receive a diary or hear of someone talking about it receiving a dairy, we are to report it. Nielsen doesn't even want the perception of hanky-panky going on.

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You sound like you've been sued before


I didn't see anyone mention legal action, and I wouldn't worry about them suing you for their $2 back for breach of contract. But Nielsen and those affiliated with the broadcast industry do take it very seriously because there is a tremendous amount of money (rightfully or wrongfully) that is spent based on the Nielsen system.


There are many, many "Nielsen families" that get the diaries to fill out (and many show up at AVS) - but the metered Nielsen families are either so few, or so serious about their "duty", that you never hear from them. I suspect it's more likely that they don't want to put at risk the cash they receive from the producers of shows like Jerry Springer and any other similar show that inexplicably remains on the air.


[EDIT] I revised the title just so it doesn't scream out to those who might take offense. To the original question, I would think any show that is only available in HD (HDNet exclusives, etc.) would send a pretty clear message.