Abstract:

This paper will report on findings from an experimental study, commissioned by the Independent Television Commission (ITC), which explored a number of techniques for assessing audience satisfaction with television in terms of the perceived quality and enjoyment of programmes watched. The study formed part of an ongoing programme of research to design a cost effective measure of audience satisfaction. The paper also examines relationships among four different diary measures of audience reaction (quality, enjoyment, memorability of programme seen and amount of programmes watched), between the aggregated programme genre measures derived from the diary and global programme genre measures derived from the questionnaires, variations among viewers in their atomic and global qualitative ratings and relationships between audience reaction indices and viewing behaviour. The paper will report on the detailed programmes findings in terms of how quality and enjoyment perceptions in the UK vary by programme genre, and by actual programme within programme genre. These findings will also be related to respondent type defined in both demographic and psychographic terms. Finally, relationships between audience reaction indices and aspects of viewing behaviour will be explored, in particular audience size and programme choice.