This paper will describe the work that has been carried out in support of a modelling approach aimed at predicting the overall performance of a TV programme series based on the audience data for the first transmission(s) of that series. It is well known that a number of measures of viewing behaviour are related to the actual long-term ratings performance of programmes or series. For example, there is a great deal of anecdotal evidence demonstrating that a high Appreciation Index (AI) tends to lead to a growth in ratings (and vice versa). Previous work carried out by the authors also suggested that Programme Loyalty (the average proportion of a programme which viewers to that programme actually watched) and Series Loyalty (the levels of viewing duplication across episodes) could be very important discriminators in determining the longer term performance of a programme or series. The aim of this paper was to investigate the relationship between a number of different viewing measures which could be potential discriminators (applied to the earhest programmes in a series) and the overall audience performance of that series. The objective was to construct a theoretical model which describes viewing behaviour over the course of a programme series so that it would be possible to accurately predict the overall performance of that series based on the data available for the first one or two episodes. Any such model would be tested for both reliability and validity - it would have to predict to an acceptable level of accuracy and it would need to produce predictions of reasonably similar levels of accuracy for a range of different programme series.
Today's television programmes are product -and not market- orientated. In creating programmes "what kind of product?" is a question more often asked than "what kind of children?". Market-orientation is a critical factor in success, especially when related to the speed of change in television. Nobody can be sure that today's children want to watch yesterday's programmes. Their tastes evolve rapidly and continuously: schedulers must take this into account. Television which is removed from reality, which loses sight of viewers' tastes and daily life-styles, or which is too highfy defined in character for children, is television which risks being left behind. The life-cycles of television products are becoming shorter and shorter. The problem, then, is not so much deciding what kind of television is "right" for children, according to the "adult", "grown-up", pedagogical/sociological approach, so much as understanding what kind of children watch television today and how. The starting point in making children's programmes must be the behaviour of children and their parents. The objective of identifying the segmentation of the public on the basis of consumer behaviour leads to making non-segmented television. The television market is less and less segmented because everybody watches everything: adult and children's viewing patterns are increasingly similar. Children are watching more and more programmes for adults and together with adults, seeing television across the whole range of time-slots (the afternoon is no longer the central viewing time). At the same time, adults are increasingly disposed to watch children's programmes, together with children.
A critical underpinning of the whole area of audience measurement is the definition that is used for â viewing. Although it is critical, it is also very difficult to get to grips with, because of the nature of the measurement process. Existing peoplemeter systems require both the adoption of a practical definition so that respondents can be given guidance on what is required of them, and also the rather more abstract definition that must inevitably be used when the always incomplete data is received from the meters. Although the people meter has been much criticized for its operational aspects, and the possibilities for incomplete or erroneous data, the proposed passive systems will also suffer similar problems of definition, without the compensation of input from the respondents. This paper makes the point that through the people meter, respondents do get the opportunity to give us some guidance of their intentions, and wonders whether in adopting a passive system any potential gains in the supposed better pick-up of viewing will not actually represent a decrease in the real reflection of viewer behavior.
The paper gives examples of new type of analyses and findings of television audience behaviour. The findings are based on analyzing respondent -level data of metered audience measurement. The YLE research department is using its own methods and procedures and therefore, even multivariate analyses of metered data are possible. Using cluster analysis reveals interesting facts beyond the rating book: there are distinct groups of viewers who in their viewing behaviour favour certain programmes, air time, or channels (or video). All of those groups vary in size and in their demographic composition. The new findings raise several research issues: how well the demographics alone can describe viewing behaviour knowing variants of viewersâ channel and programme repertoire is very important in today's competitive broadcast environment other than individual characteristics of the respondents are neglected too often; not only lifestyle or stage of life but also characteristics of the family and viewing situation (viewing in group or alone) should be included in an analysis of viewing patterns These issues have important implications for programming and scheduling in today's highly competitive broadcast environment.
This is a report on how people use television during prime time, based upon results from a study completed in March and April, 1992. A random sample of adults and teens in U.S. households were interviewed about how and why they use television, their typical and "last time" viewing behavior, and their definition of watching. The study was designed to understand how to measure the TV audience -- how to define it operationally and develop instructions for those whose usage is measured.
The self completed television viewing diary continues to be an important instrument for audience measurement in Canada and the U.S. The diary collects information on a 15 minute basis, assuming that only one channel is watched for all or most of the period. With increasing channel choice and the universality of remote controls this assumption is being challenged. Viewers change channels so frequently, it is alleged, that they cannot possibly be expected to record what they view. This paper addresses the allegation by analysing the extent and nature of actual channel changing behaviour. It uses data from a data base of channel changes, compiled from the BBM-Videoway television meter project in Toronto in Fall 1990. It shows that the extent and influence of "zapping" or "grazing" has been greatly exaggerated. Contrary to conventional wisdom, most sets stay tuned to one channel during a quarter hour period. Those tuned to more than one, stay with a principal channel during the great majority of the quarter hour, sampling another channel or two for just short periods of time. For most viewers there does appear to be one identifiable channel tuned for most of the quarter hour, as assumed by the paper diary. This is shown to be the case during different day parts and for different types of programming
The paper is divided in two parts. The first part compares the data generated by diaries and people meters in Canada. The comparison shows that both ratings systems generate data that is very similar in terms of general viewing behaviour. For example, there is little difference in per capita hours spent watching TV, either in total or by different age/sex and education groups, and there are only small differences in TV usage by day or daypart However, substantial differences were found in the viewing level of cable versus non-cable subscribers and in the audience to various station groups. The second part of the article compares the ratings information produced by the two methods at the program level and introduces the telephone coincidental as a third measure of the audience of a program. While the telephone coincidental tends to reproduce the audience size estimates of the people meter, it confirms the diaries with respect to composition of the audience.
Although Ireland is a small country it has a complex television environment. Irish homes can be placed into three different groups depending on their levels of channel choice; 2 station homes, 6 station homes, and 10+ station homes. This paper begins by briefly describing the Irish television scene, audience measurement techniques and type of database used. Following this, the paper will explore the question of whether more choice equates to more viewing as well as the relationship between stations and within stations over time. These topics are primarily examined by comparisons between 6 station homes and 10 + station homes. The results confirm findings from many other countries, namely that more channel choice leads to more television viewing
This report offers a new approach to the question of behavior patterns in television viewing, which we term TELEMODES. The approach involves a typology consisting of six types (or modes). The typology was developed in 1988 in the framework of research concerned with the influence of current changes in the audiovisual landscape on French TV viewers. A detailed questionnaire made it possible to delineate six major behavior pattern types; these were corroborated, in turn, by qualitative in-depth research in the form of family monographs. Now, three years later, we are in a position to state that a greater availability of programs, as well as a wider variety of equipment to choose from, does affect viewer behavior patterns in the direction of increased mobility. The second part of the report shows how this typology may be applied within the framework of ongoing audience measurement based on an audiometric panel. Our typology proves to allow for a broader range of fine distinctions in regard to behavior patterns than do the usual socio-demographic criteria.
This report offers a new approach to the question of behavior patterns in television viewing, which we term TELEMODES. The approach involves a typology consisting of six types (or modes). The typology was developed in 1988 in the framework of research concerned with the influence of current changes in the audiovisual landscape on French TV viewers. A detailed questionnaire made it possible to delineate six major behavior pattern types; these were corroborated, in turn, by qualitative in-depth research in the form of family monographs. Now, three years later, we are in a position to state that a greater availability of programs, as well as a wider variety of equipment to choose from, does affect viewer behavior patterns in the direction of increased mobility. The second part of the report shows how this typology may be applied within the framework of ongoing audience measurement based on an audiometric panel. Our typology proves to allow for a broader range of fine distinctions in regard to behavior patterns than do the usual socio-demographic criteria.
On the basis of elementary information coming from the people-meter panel presently operating in Spain, an analysis has been made in order to go deeply into some quantitative aspects related to the TV consumption. Information is presented in respect to three specific points: Degree of concentration of TV consumption both for individuals and households where the difference between those two values becomes evident. A segmentation of homes in accordance to the amount of TV viewing was made to check the stability of the share of viewing for the different channels across the pre-defined groups. A third analysis tries to reflect the day to day variability of the TV viewing behaviour both for households and individuals.
Television plays an important role in this country, as a mass communication medium, as the incidence of TV sets is around 80% of homes in Brazil, going and up to 95 % in the main urban centers. On the other hand, the distribution of wealth in Brazil is such that the consumption of most products is highly concentrated in the upper levels of the population. In consequence, the behaviour of the upper socio-economic classes is very important in marketing and advertising decisions. This paper examines differences in TV watching behaviour and their relation to social-economic aspects. Special emphasis is given to the influence of new devices and equipment that are related to the habits of TV viewing, such as the use of remote control, video-cassette recorders, etc. Data are based on the initial phase of "peoplemeters" in Brazil, in replacement of set-meters and diaries. This phase started in the Metropolitan Sao Paulo area (the most important economic area of the country) with a sample of 234 households, which will be expanded to 600 households in 1991. In consequence, while we dispose of reliable information of overall household TV audience, the individual data are currently based on too small a sample to allow conclusive analysis. All the analysis are based on a 2 week period, from February 18th to March 3rd, 1991.