Ratings, ratings, ratings. You hear talk about ratings, but what do they really mean and how do TV programs get rated? In a nutshell, ratings tell us how many people watch a particular show. The data can be broken down further, but it typically includes age range and gender.
Why does this matter? Ratings help advertisers decide which programs to advertise in. As an agency, we look at ratings data and individual program rates to decide which programs are most efficient for our clients and the demographic they are trying to reach, which is to say which programming will reach the most of the right audience for the least money. So the accuracy and reliability of that data matters a great deal to us.
From paper diaries to set top boxes
Once upon a time, TV ratings data was compiled entirely by randomly chosen viewers filling out diaries and mailing them to a company that aggregated the results. The system was full of inefficiencies and question marks. The data was directionally accurate, especially compiled over time, but still full of holes.
Fast forward to the digital age. With the help of technological advances, and specifically a company called comScore, we now have access to data downloaded directly from set top cable and satellite receivers. The system is not perfect, but it is leaps and bounds better than the diary system. As a media buyer it gives us far more accurate and far more timely information. Before digital data we would wait months to see results. Now we can see how many people watched the Saturday Bison game by the following Tuesday.
With all the talk about TV and other traditional media dying, it is very helpful to have data showing actual viewership. That data arms us with the information to make confident decisions and to get the most out of our clients budgets. It is the same approach we bring to every traditional media buy we place.