How are Nielsen ratings related to the profit motive?

Question

How are Nielsen ratings related to the profit motive?

A. They measure the number of viewers for each show, which is how awards like the Emmys are awarded.

B. They measure the number of viewers for individual programs. That helps advertisers try to reach the largest number of people possible.

C. There's no relation.

D. Both A and B are correct.

Answer 1

All of the answers are wrong, but B is the closest.

Neilsen ratings help TV channels set prices for advertising. Higher ratings during a show mean you can charge more for the ad placement.

However, advertisers usually don't want to reach the "largest number of people possible" -- they want to reach people who are most likely to buy their product. That's why Neilsen reports information about the viewers, such as age, gender, and income.

Answer 2

B, Nielsen measures the audience of programs.  

Though the answers are rather poorly worded.