How do the tv people determine tv ratings.?

Question

i have always wanted to know how people figure out how many people watch a certain show among many others

Answer 1

some times they have the public do it online or they have critics

Answer 2

Nielsen Television Ratings are gathered by one of two ways; by extensive use of surveys, where viewers of various demographics are asked to keep a written record (called a diary) of the television programming they watch throughout the day and evening, or by the use of Set Meters, which are small devices connected to every television in selected homes.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_Rat...

Go to Nielsen Media Research to get more detailed information on TV ratings.

http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/si...

Answer 3

Nielson ratings, possibly other methods but nielsons is the most  wide known.