Abstract:

This paper describes the depletion that occurs to a television program audience (beyond the program rating itself), specifically as these variations relate to television advertising's communications effectiveness. The variables examined include type of program, the interest in the program as indicated by the program rating, time of day, the position of the commercial within a chain of non-program material, and the commercial itself. The findings show that while each of the variables does have an influence on the "effective reach" of television as an advertising medium, the greatest variation is caused by the commercials themselves.