Tv and radio ratings.how do they know?

Question

how do newspapers for example know how many ppl watched a tv show the night before? or how many ppl are listening to a radio station at any givin time?.is there a magical website that i can see tv or radio station ratings in real time?

Answer 1

In the UK television ratings are recorded by BARB (Broadcasters' Audience Research Board) and radio ratings by RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research).

A number of households (typically around 0.5% of the population) are selected at random to be sampled. Such households have a electronic system fitted to every television in their home which records which programmes are being watched and when. This allows estimates of the entire population's viewing habits to be made.

RAJAR carries out a similar method for radio listeners, although it is currently reliant on people completing listening diaries for a specified period.

Interim results are published every morning at 9:30 from the previous night, with a full listing appearing a week later to allow for recorded programmes.

You can view general television and radio ratings at http://www.barb.co.uk and http://www.rajar.co.uk although for detailed breakdowns you will need to subscribe.

Answer 2

Well, this is for the UK, i assume it is the same or very similar in other places -

TV - a selection of people are set up with electronics which monitor what channels they are watching, they have to press a button to say they are actually in front of the TV watching and the program is not just on in the background.

For radio it involves a selection of people being selected to keep a diary of their listening habits. People are selected at random for this.

You can find more information here as well -

http://www.barb.co.uk/