I just got the greatest piece of mail ever. An offer to be a Nielsen Family.
 

No longer will good television be cancelled do to low ratings.

You better be watching Arrested Development (or willing to fake it).

A real Nielsen Family or just a sweeps diary?

das

It looks like a real Nielsen Family. I've gotta call later and make an appointment with them and then i'll know all the details.


Don't worry, i've watched it every week since it started.

I saw there was 3 replies so far; I was curious to see how many involved people telling him to watch Arrested Development.

Be prepared to be very popular around here soon.

How exactly does the real Nielsen family thing work? I've done the diaries before and thought it was a big pain in the butt. Although if the diaries were online and consisted of drop-down menus in grids they would be a lot more enjoyable.

yeah, what is up with the diaries. My household has had a few offers to keep those diaries but we haven't as of yet (i figure they don't count, since ratings come in overnight). If I had a chance for a ratings box though, you bet your ass I'd get on... glad to hear you'll be watching AD if you get it....(make sure to stick around for Kitchen Confidential and Prison Break too).

MATT

So if you're a Nielson family and you have TIVO, how does that work?

Can you imagine if Nielsen recruited people from this forum? I think we'd make their set-top boxes explode. :lol:

I assume their policy would be no DVRs, which would eliminate most of this forum. :lol:

Ratings only take into account live TV watched.

I have a Tivo.

Does USA Today still publish the Tivo numbers aside the Nielsen ratings?

I was actually contacted by Nielsen over a year ago because of my TiVo. They wanted me to be a part of some study they were doing regarding DVR useage. I signed up, as I don't care who looks at my tv viewing habits. I'm not sure if what we watch counts on the Nielsen ratings, as they didn't give me any specifics on what they are gathering.

I think I would have to set the box up to no tv, and have a computer with an IR blaster set up to change the channels to the shows I wanted counted, and watch my normal tv via DVR like normal.

Hey Morf, I signed up for that too. I don't know whatever became of it.

Heck, if you placed a family of monkees in front of the TV, they would probably pick out better shows to watch than most Nielsen families.

Soooo, what else do you watch regularly?

Another vote for Arrested Development! :banana:

Glad to hear someone else at least knows what I was talking about. I, too, have no idea what became of that study, or what the plans were. :shrug:

I'm in the same boat with you, Morf. Haven't heard anything from them since. Anyone know how you become a Nielsen Family? Do you just open up your mail one day and there is an offer? Or do you have to actively try and be a Nielsen Family and then just hope to get lucky?

The only thing I have been selected for is the damn LONG census bureau interview, which means about every 3 months I am contacted and have a hour interview, same questions and about the same answers, and a thank you at the end.

If you were chosen to have a meter put in your home, DON'T DO IT. I used to work for Nielsen as a recruiter. I can't go into detail, but if you value your audio/video equipment, for god's sake, refuse!!!!!! If it's a diary, go for it.

So, as many members as this forum has, I can't believe there are no nielsen families.