Welcome to the blog of Dr. Lisa Burns' Media Studies senior capstone class (Section A) at Quinnipiac University. If you're looking for the latest on media industry trends and insightful media analysis, you've come to the right place.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Advertising, Ratings & Audiences Blog 2, Question 2 (Feb. 7th)
Given the changes in
how audiences consume media, do ratings still matter? Why or why not? And are
there alternative ways to track media consumption? Limit:
11 responses
Technology has changed drastically in the last decade or so. Looking back, social media was never what it is today. Nowadays, people only communicate via texting, social media or sometimes talking on the phone (but it’s pretty rare). Especially with the generation after the millennial, they are going to be all digital media and nothing else. I read an article recently describing the new generation explaining, “since generation X spends more time on social media than millennial, this information will change the strategies for social media companies by making it more accessible and more user-friendly...” (Bovaird). Along the lines of social media, the same thing has happened with television. The television industry has evolved so much, that many people aren’t watching an actual television anymore. Whether one is watching on an iPad, computer, iPhone, tablet, etc., the actual television is not involved. These are all some of the huge changes that have recently occurred in how audiences consume media. With all of this said, ratings certainly still matter. Nielson recently reported that, “consumers are changing with the times, and the same goes for us. As technology continues to evolve and media companies try new ways to attract viewers, understanding what consumers are watching—and what they’re watching on—is more important than ever” (Solutions). These ratings are extremely important because they still tell us what people like to watch, which demographics are watching and what shows are doing the best. Nielson further explains how these ratings are imperative and are the “Holy Grail” of audience measurement. “This measurement breadth allows clients to plan programming and advertising for their ideal audience” (Solutions). It allows for the right advertisements to be shown during the right shows, in order to be viewed by the appropriate audience.
Many people on the Internet or using different forms of media don’t even know they are being tracked. The information we look up on the Internet later becomes the advertisements we see. This is known as “online tracking”, which is where the websites we visit are tracked on our devices (Tynan). Media exists in all forms such as television, film, newspapers, books, etc., but social media is frequently tracked, as well. With the rapid change of technology everyday, this is an alternative way to track media consumption. Nielsen recently launched a new program called, “Social Content Ratings, the most comprehensive measure of program-related social media activity across both Facebook and Twitter. This launch marks the first time that social TV insights across Facebook and Twitter will be measured with a standardized, third-party methodology and shared with the industry” (Nielsen's Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter). President of Nielson Social, Sean Casey, says that he’s excited about this new platform. He explains, “we are excited to introduce Social Content Ratings as the first standardized measure for Social TV that networks, agencies, and advertisers can trust for TV planning and informing strategies across social networks” (Nielsen's Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter). I think this will be a great move for the industry, as social media is what’s really at the top these days. It seems to be what everyone revolves their lives around, and not so much watching actual television, anymore.
Works Cited
Bovaird, Charles. "Social Media: How Millennials Are Losing to Gen X." Investopedia. N.p., 31 Jan. 2017. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
"Nielsen's Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter." N.p., 08 Mar. 2016. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
"Solutions." Television Measurement | Television Ratings | Nielsen. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
Tynan, Dan. "Explained: Here's How Advertising Tracks You Across the Web." Yahoo! Yahoo!, 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
The way audiences consume media has changed significantly in the past 5 years. People are no longer tuning in live to watch the latest episode of their favorite show. With working full time and going to school full time I barely have time to watch TV live anymore. I rely on streaming, on demand and DVR in order to keep up with my shows. Nielsen “provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers watch and buy” (Nielsen). Ratings play such an important role in the way company’s track and research how people consume media. They allow networks to see what shows are succeeding, what formats are working and what needs to be tweaked. But due to the way that consumers watch TV ratings have dropped, but the drop in rating does not necessarily mean that people aren’t watching and enjoying these shows. Ratings don’t include views from people who watch it days after the show aired or if they are streaming it on a phone or laptop through an OTT or on demand. TV networks also rely on these ratings to determine if a show is worth it to keep in production. The Vulture article “Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety” creators, producers and actors know the importance that ratings hold, even if the consumer doesn’t. In the article actor Adam Pally expresses a frustration with streaming services not giving total access to ratings and numbers.
Kurt Sutter, creator and executive producers of The Bastard Executioners and Sons of Anarchy says that ratings to him are more importance than good reviews and awards. The size of his “viewing circle” is how he tells if his show is compelling. “If I can do all these, I can sustain and hopefully increase my circle. If I cannot, the circle finds a better story and goes away. Measuring the size of an audience is an imperfect, confusing and mercurial science but it is the only formula we have” (Fernandez). There have been improvement in terms of how Nielsen tracks rating but there is still along way to go. In August, Nielsen announced the launch of “Social Content Ratings “the most comprehensive measure of program-related social media activity across both Facebook and Twitter” (Nielsen). Social Media opens up a whole new world of tracking ratings that has yet to really be explored. Live tweeting is huge, people are able to connect with other viewers and even interact with cast members. Using those tweets and other posts on social media poses a challenge in terms of tracking ratings. Eventually creator’s producers and writers can utilize these responses as a way to improve shows and cater them to audience requests. As we continue to change the way we consume media, ratings will always be a permanent part in how we track and research media usage.
Fernandez, Maria Elena and Josef Adalian. "Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety." Vulture 2 Dec. 2015. Web. "Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 23 Jan. 2016. Web. "NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web.
How audiences consume media has changed drastically over the past few years. Television show ratings are no longer just based on how many people viewed a show during its original airtime. With the increase in media platforms, shows can be rated by how many people are watching, what platform they are using to watch, their engagement with the show through social media, and more. Due to the increase in the ways audiences can consume media, ratings do still matter, but not as much as they used to and in a different way. Ratings are no longer about instant gratification because the variety of platforms audiences can use to watch shows, including streaming sites and video on-demand, have turned must-see TV into “I’ll watch when I want to” TV (Adalian, 2015). Networks do not have to focus so much on how big the original audience is for a show, so instead they “are increasingly favoring shows that can draw a consistent audience among at least some significant demographic group, or those that perform particularly well on a specific platform” (Adalian, 2015). Due to the emerging new ways to consume media, Nielsen is changing and updating the way it measures ratings. So, although live TV ratings do not matter as much anymore, ratings in general are still important because Nielsen’s “expansive and representative television measurement services capture video viewings across all screens: television, computers, and mobile devices” (Nielsen Solutions: What We Measure). Now that live television ratings are not the main issue, seeing how a show is doing across all media platforms is becoming increasingly important, especially when it comes to social media. As social media continues to become more prevalent in society, social media usage connected to television shows is becoming increasingly important. Originally, Nielsen was only tracking Twitter ratings, but the company recently announced the launch of Social Content Ratings, which will be “the most comprehensive measure of program-related social media activity across both Facebook and Twitter” (Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings). It’s important to track program-related social media content because it allows networks to see if shows are relating with audience members and helps keep audience members engaged with their favorite shows. Recently, shows have started developing personal hashtags and handles, which often can make social media tracking easier; however, audience members do not always use show-related handles and hashtags, so “Nielsen measurement uses comprehensive classifier set that includes official program hashtags and handles as well as organic hashtags, program names, character names, talent names and other program-related phrases” (Methodology Matters) to be sure that all social TV activity is being measured.
A big issue within the ratings system however, is that streaming sites such as Netflix do not share information about how their series are doing with anyone including subscribers, studios, stars, or producers. It’s beneficial to Netflix because it gives the company all of the leverage, however it also allows it to underpay the people they work with (Adalian, 2015). Many producers are still in favor of ratings because it allows them to change their creative point of view if a show isn’t doing well or rejoice when a show receives high ratings. Some feel that Netflix refusing to share this information “is some kind of way to prevent creative entities from knowing their true worth, and forcing them to work for a number that may be below their value” (Fernandez and Adalian, 2015). Many in the entertainment industry don’t believe Netflix and other streaming sites will continue to be able to get away with this because eventually new competition will emerge, and ratings will become a necessity, at least in some way (Adalian, 2015). It’s easy to see there are a variety of ways to track media consumption, however “ad-supported networks, both broadcast and cable, will most likely continue to prefer programs that command big same-day ratings” (Adalian, 2015) because that is how they make money instantly. Time-shifted viewing is a bonus because it gives various shows a chance to increase their ratings over a certain amount of time and gain a viewership; however there will always be shows that simply just won’t make the cut.
Works Cited
Adalian, Josef. "How Hollywood Gossips About Netflix’s Hidden Ratings." Vulture 1 Dec. 2015. Web.
Fernandez, Maria Elena and Josef Adalian. "Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety." Vulture 2 Dec. 2015. Web.
"METHODOLOGY MATTERS – THE KEY TO SOCIAL TV MEASUREMENT IS IN THE DETAILS," Nielsen.com 5 Dec. 2016. Web.
"NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web.
"Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 23 Jan. 2016. Web.
Ratings used to be an appropriate system of identifying what the general public is watching. From this data you could distinguish which shows were succeeding and which shows were falling short of viewership expectations. High ratings served as a safety net for shows that are fighting for another season in a competitive marketplace. Wendy Mericle, executive producer of Arrow explains this safety net by saying, “If you’re holding your numbers, your chances of getting another five years out of the show are much higher. But now we can’t stop the room anymore to obsess over the numbers — we have to keep working to come up with the next big idea.” (Fernandez, Adalian)
The algorithm to determine the success of a show was fairly simple – track the ratings week by week. With new technology however, this has become more complex. The pull from traditional TV to other nontraditional platforms, like Netflix, Hulu, and video on demand means that consumers can wait any length of time, whether it be a week or a year, to watch their favorite shows. Personally, I prefer to binge-watch a show on Netflix in one sitting. My schedule is not flexible enough where I can sit in front of the television at a specific time every week to watch my favorite show. Ratings do not cover the viewers who are watching days later on various streaming platforms. According to Vulture, this is forcing networks to find new ways to measure how viewers consume their content, as well as changing how traditional networks do business. (Adalian)
In “What We Measure,” Nielsen Solutions writes, “As technology continues to evolve and media companies try new ways to attract viewers, understanding what consumers are watching is more important than ever. Today, viewing video is a personal and mobile experience—anytime and anywhere. This media fragmentation is both a challenge and an opportunity.” (Nielsen)
One opportunity that Nielsen is exploring is the measurement of program-related social media activity across Facebook and Twitter. Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings will work to help TV networks and advertisers “maximize the social impact of their cross-platform strategies.” (Nielsen) Keith Kindle, CEO of FremantleMedia, which produces The X Factor, American Idol, and Britain’s Got Talent, believes that social engagement is more important than TV ratings in the eyes of advertisers. He said, “A few years ago, the only things that mattered was ratings. Now what matters more is the level of social engagement around the content. No longer is it: here’s a content idea we’re going to make, let’s produce it, put it up and then let’s think about the social engagement around it.” (Williams) I think tracking social media activity is great way to connect with audiences week after week and it’s certainly a unique solution to the issue.
It’s evident that the way TV networks track viewership will have to change in the coming years. I believe that long-term, multi-platform ratings will be the most effective to accurately measure viewership.
Works Cited Adalian, Josef. "Why the New Era of TV Ratings Means More of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive." Vulture. N.p., 30 Nov. 2015. Web. 05 Feb. 2017. Fernandez, Maria Elena and Josef Adalian. "Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety." Vulture 2 Dec. 2015. Web. "NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web. "Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 23 Jan. 2016. Web. Williams, Oscar. "Social Engagement More Important than TV Ratings” Publishing and Platforms. Guardian News and Media, 21 Jan. 2015. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
Television content is consumed at many different times throughout the week and day. Viewers also consume television content on several different platforms beside the traditional television set. With all the new and different ways that television shows are viewed it can be hard for ratings to be tracked accurately and across multiple platforms. However, ratings are still important and beneficial to television networks in order for them to continue to benefit financially, creatively, and to keep audiences. It is extremely important for networks and advertiser’s to understand their Audiences. To know what type of content will draw them and keep them watching over continuous seasons. That’s why still having ratings on television content is still necessary and important. According to Nielsen by television shows being rated it, “Allows clients to plan programming and advertising for their ideal audience,” (Nielsen Solutions). This means that if a show, such as Riverdale its gets a high rating among the age demographic of 18-24, but a lower rating in ages 35 and older, a network can then begin to customize and gear the content of that particular show towards the age demographic that had the highest rating. Additionally, these ratings will help networks and advertisers with the right ad content to be displayed when the show is aired or is DVR. Nielsen has stated, “We can tell clients which commercials are being watched, as well as which ones have the strongest engagement and impact,” (Nielsen Solutions). By knowing the demographic and amount of viewers advertisers can target the core audience of that specific show because they already have the basic information they need from the ratings that they receive. Furthermore, according to Hogan, “ TV networks and stations use these metrics to set their advertising rates,” (Hogan 2013). This means that networks can set their rates for advertising space higher if their show had a strong ratings and a lot of viewers. This also gives networks even more of advantage because with the ability to charge more for advertising space allows the network more money to work with, in order to produce other shows and continue with the one that is preforming well. Throughout the years the way networks received their ratings has been through Nielsen’s traditional means. However, with content being viewed on different platforms alternative ways of tracking ratings could be use in order to calculate more of the non-traditional television viewers.
Today with so many viewers being connected to the social media world it is useful for Nielsen to continue to keep track and factor in the social media communication among the audience of the show. According to Nielsen, “TV programmers are integrating hashtags and social conversations directly into their shows,” (Nielsen Solutions). Therefore, if shows are purposefully adding hashtags and interactive media into their shows to create conversations and gain more live viewers, then this form of social media measurement should be integrated more heavily into ratings. This is because according to Hogan, “It may be far more important and informative to analyze the “buzz” on Twitter and Facebook than to know whether a show is being viewed on the household television,” (Hogan 2013). I agree with this because it gives the networks the knowledge of how many people are engaged with their show, but are using different platforms to vocalize their engagement. Additionally, with viewers viewing content on multiple platforms there should be a better way to track those viewers and add them to the rating numbers. The app Symphony is a tool that is able to track cross-platform viewing, meaning it can tell if a viewer is watching live or playback programming, if the content is being watched at home or on the go, and, “If someone watches a program on digital first, then switches to live TV,” (Raphael 2017). This app could be a great alternate tool for networks that want track how many viewers they are gaining through other platforms beside the live television platform because, “particular program is being viewed beyond the Nielsen currency,” (Raphael 2017). Ultimately, having an additional alternate way to track ratings can beneficial to many people within the television due to the ever-changing ways that consumers view content.
Works Cited
Hogan, Dwayne. "How Do Nielsen Ratings Work?" The CableTV Blog. N.p., 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 05 Feb. 2017. " Nielsen Solutions-What We Measure." Television Measurement | Television Ratings | Nielsen. The Nielsen Company, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2017. Raphael, Rina. "Can One App Revolutionize TV Ratings For The Streaming And Binge-Watching Era?" Fast Company. N.p., 01 Feb. 2017. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
While it has become difficult to measure ratings, they are still “a central component of the television industry…” (Museum.tv). Since ratings help determine advertising rates, “…the rating of a TV show can have a direct effect on the financial bottom line for a network or station” (Hogan). Liz Meriwether, creator of Fox’s New Girl, even explained, in regards to Nielsen ratings, “Those numbers go out, and then almost all creative decisions about network television in America are made based on them” (Meriwether). So, as we can see, ratings are still very important to television networks since they can determine how much the company makes in advertising dollars. However, the way ratings are important has changed. It is no longer so much about over night ratings as it is ratings in the long run. It is no longer so much about ratings on live TV or DVR’s as it is about ratings for live TV, DVR’s, OnDemand, and streaming services combined. Since, “aggregating big audiences right away has become far more difficult, networks are increasingly favoring shows that can draw a consistent audience among at least some significant demographic group, or those that perform particularly well on a specific platform” (Adalian). It’s okay for a show not to bring in a huge audience when it airs live. Since ratings can now be measured over multiple platforms and over a longer time period, as long as shows can get enough viewers within smaller target markets it can still end up with significant overall ratings (Adalian). However, networks have to take these new ways of consuming media into account when looking at ratings. It’s no longer just about overnight ratings like it used to be. Consumers are watching days, weeks, months, sometimes year after a show airs on television. So, while ratings are still very important they way we measure, look at and use them has changed with the increase in options audiences have to consume media.
While it has become difficult to measure ratings, they are still “a central component of the television industry…” (Museum.tv). Since ratings help determine advertising rates, “…the rating of a TV show can have a direct effect on the financial bottom line for a network or station” (Hogan). Liz Meriwether, creator of Fox’s New Girl, even explained, in regards to Nielsen ratings, “Those numbers go out, and then almost all creative decisions about network television in America are made based on them” (Meriwether). So, as we can see, ratings are still very important to television networks since they can determine how much the company makes in advertising dollars. However, the way ratings are important has changed. It is no longer so much about over night ratings as it is ratings in the long run. It is no longer so much about ratings on live TV or DVR’s as it is about ratings for live TV, DVR’s, OnDemand, and streaming services combined. Since, “aggregating big audiences right away has become far more difficult, networks are increasingly favoring shows that can draw a consistent audience among at least some significant demographic group, or those that perform particularly well on a specific platform” (Adalian). It’s okay for a show not to bring in a huge audience when it airs live. Since ratings can now be measured over multiple platforms and over a longer time period, as long as shows can get enough viewers within smaller target markets it can still end up with significant overall ratings (Adalian). However, networks have to take these new ways of consuming media into account when looking at ratings. It’s no longer just about overnight ratings like it used to be. Consumers are watching days, weeks, months, sometimes year after a show airs on television. So, while ratings are still very important they way we measure, look at and use them has changed with the increase in options audiences have to consume media.
Works Cited "Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 06 Feb. 2017. Web. Hogan, Dwayne. “How Do Nielsen Ratings Work?” CableTV.com, 19 Feb. 2013. Web. "NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web. Meriwether, Liz. "What It’s Like to Live and Die by TV Ratings." Vulture 30 Nov. 2015. Web. Adalian, Josef. "Why the New Era of TV Ratings Means More of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive." Vulture 30 Nov. 2015. Web. “The Museum of Broadcast Communications – Encyclopedia of Television – Ratings.” The Museum of Broadcast Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
The way audiences consume media has changed over the past few years due to the ability to stream and consume media through other platforms. Since there has been a change in how media is consumed, the way viewership ratings can be recorded must also change. Just because the way we consume media has changed does not mean that ratings are no longer important. Nielsen just had to take it to the next level and expand their ways for tracking media consumption and ratings. “As technology continues to evolve and media companies try new ways to attract viewers, understanding what consumers are watching and what they’re watching on, is more important than ever,” thus wanting to know how and what people are watching still remains important in Nielsen’s ratings (Television Management). With the growth in social media participation, Nielsen has found a way to track “second screen” engagement. Aside from social media, Nielsen is also tracking whether or not the consumer recorded the show, if the consumer streamed it, as well as if the consumer was watching it on a mobile device or online, these changes have helped Nielsen adapt to the expansion in the variety of platforms used to consume media. “Social media provides a level of insight into viewership that mere channel viewing data cannot. In other words, it may be far more important and informative to analyze the ‘buzz’ on Twitter and Facebook than to know whether a show is being viewed on a household television” (Hogan, Dwayne).
In 2013, Nielsen created a way to measure TV-related conversations that were happening on Twitter. “TV networks can measure the full Twitter engagement surrounding programs and agencies and advertisers can integrate the full impact of Twitter TV into their make data-driven media planning and buying decisions” (Social TV). Advertisers and other agencies are still concerned with TV ratings because that is what they base their advertisements on. The ratings are still important because they are still giving these companies a demographic, it was not until recently that they had to look into more than just your typical television set consumer. Nielsen’s ratings still provide measurement solutions, demographic information, and behavioral insights that help these companies better understand how consumers are engaging with the media across all platforms. It is still extremely important for networks and advertisers to understand how consumers are consuming media and what specific media they are consuming. These ratings give companies an idea of what programming will draw what demographic as well as determine the programming’s popularity. They also will show advertisers whether or not the program was watched live or shown via DVR, thus determining whether or not an advertisement would be worth it. If the consumer is fast-forwarding through all of the commercials would it really be worth it to pay big bucks for that ad space?
Works Cited
Hogan, Dwayne. "How Do Nielsen Ratings Work?" The CableTV Blog. N.p., 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 06 Feb. 2017. Social TV | Understanding Chatter about Your TV Programs | Nielsen. Nielsen, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017. Television Measurement | Television Ratings | Nielsen. Nielsen, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
Looking at the evolution of media consumer habits in the past decade, it is easy to notice a significant shift in the last four years. The changing ways of consuming media, and the way that this shift is covered has left traditional networks damaged and weakened. As Adalian states, accompanying the growth of streaming, “broadcast and cable outlets have had to endure screaming headlines and snarky tweets about big ratings drops.” Such coverage shifts even more attention towards streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. In response to the fall of traditional television, Netflix claims to be just “responding to the consumers’ needs.” Countering Netflix’s growing influential image, the recent data released by Symphony Advanced has placed Netflix hits on the same level as less-than-hits on NBC. Rather than granting streaming the attention it has earned, Symphony Advanced CEO has stated, "It's important to know that TV actually is growing very well, and streaming originals … are supplementing it.” Despite this data, the growing impact of streaming has created or at least contributed to the rising phenomenon of nonlinear viewership. This new trend in consumer behavior inevitably forces a change in how ratings and viewership habits are tracked by companies like Nielson. As consumers turn towards on-demand services, they start binge-watching shows through streaming services instead of watching one episode each week. This creates a change in how networks view measures of success, because “it can take up to six weeks for these streaming stats to come in.” (Adalian) Because rating measures have pushed periods to be longer, networks often have a time frame where they have very little idea of their shows’ success rates. , Like in the case of Bob’s Burgers if which 38 percent of the monthly audience comes from viewers who stream the show, many shows have a significant portion of their audience that follows a nonlinear viewership path. One tracking method that has developed in response to the changing trends is tracking social media records of consumers. “Developing a comprehensive classifier set of keywords, phrases, names, hashtags and accounts that people could mention while posting about a particular program is one of the keys to capturing total social TV activity.” (Nielsen) This method helps companies track consumer behavior and shows’ ratings in certainly a non-traditional way, but it proves helpful and accurate. Overall, in order to yield accurate results of viewership habits, ratings and all other relevant data, tracking methods have taken a different turn that is certainly interesting to watch. As audiences grow to prefer on-demand services and cord-cutting becomes a wide-spread phenomenon, it’s expected that these tracking methods will alter even more rapidly in the future.
"METHODOLOGY MATTERS – THE KEY TO SOCIAL TV MEASUREMENT IS IN THE DETAILS," Nielsen.com 5 Dec. 2016. Web. Adalian, Josef. "Why the New Era of TV Ratings Means More of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive." Vulture 30 Nov. 2015. Web. Harvey, Natalie. "NBC vs. Netflix: Why a Ratings 'Reveal' Matters." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 20 Jan. 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.
Whenever I scroll through Netflix or YouTube videos the first thing I look at is the rating or comments on whatever I decide to watch. It’s a habit I can’t shake; I am genuinely interested in what others think when it comes to media. When I see a show has less than 3 stars I never click on it to watch, even if someone I know recommends it to me. Ratings still matter and are much more relevant today than they were in the past. Before, consumers didn’t have a lot of options on what to watch and would instead just watch whatever was available to them at the time. Today, the options are endless and OTT services continue to drop new materials whenever they get the chance. Consumers also want quick information and having a rating system in place helps them know whether or not a show is worth watching. They base their opinions on what the majority of people consider to be good, “You could just look at the numbers and say, ‘that show is worthy, and that show is not,” (Adalian, 1). Although the way we consume media has changed a lot during the years I think that the rating system has just become more prevalent and necessary as well. There are also benefits for the shows themselves, those who didn’t get the best ratings at first now can wait it out a little longer thanks to the changes in which we consume media. Many don’t watch a show until months later, once they’ve heard enough buzz from friends and family. “Shows that once might have suffered premature deaths due to low tune-in may now be able to hang on, and even thrive, in a universe no longer wholly ruled by the tyranny of instant Nielsen judgment,” (Adalian, 1). The rating system also helps major media companies decide advertising choices so that they can have the most money and exposure for a certain brand. “National and local TV ratings help media companies and brands decide how to spend the over $80 billion on TV advertising in the U.S. alone,” (What We Measure, 1). It may be much more challenging to rate shows when they’re on streaming services like Netflix but they are still valuable for all parties. I think it’ll be interesting to see ratings on social media pages alone, I know that in the past there have been advertisements for companies that give out faulty products; especially when it comes to clothing. Ratings are going to be everywhere and are just going to have a bigger presence in media today. “According to a survey by BrightLocal, 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation,” (DeMers, 1). This is especially interesting because these ratings and reviews come from complete strangers. I can only see the progression of such rating systems because of how much value they have for the consumers, advertising and media companies.
Works Cited Adalian, Josef. "Why The New Era Of TV Ratings Means More Of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive". Vulture. N.p., 2015. Web. 7 Feb. 2017. DeMers, Jayson. "How Important Are Customer Reviews For Online Marketing?". Forbes.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 7 Feb. 2017. "What We Measure". Neilsen.com. Web. 7 Feb. 2017.
Media ratings modern days is not as crucial as they were in the past. The concept of the rating system is to measure what media is consumed and by whom. The accuracy and reliability of the rating system is what makes it so important. But is it important still? The answer is yes; the rating system does matter in some aspects. Does the rating system critically matter? No, because there are companies like Hulu, Amazon and Netflix that could make up for a decline in ratings. Typically, you would think that a low rating system means a decline in revenue, which used to be the case. Modern times you can get buy with declining ratings without it hurting your company too bad. It all depends on who you partner with. The beauty and complications of modern times comes with the word complexity. Media and ratings have become so complex that the actual purpose also transforms to be more complex. Ratings certainly matters for marketers and consumer loyalty but not so much for the revenue itself. The Media Rating Council prides itself on validity, reliability and effectiveness while suggesting 100% transparency. As many top companies are members of the Media Rating Council as of 2017, ratings must have some significance now even though its not what it used to be. While ratings have migrated from being a quick check to see if a show is worth the watch or not to tracking everything you do for marketing purposes it contradicts the whole purpose and point of the original rating system. It seemed it went from being more for the use of the consumer to more of a tactic for marketers to use against consumers.
"Mission." Mission. Accredited by Media Rating Council, n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.
After recently writing my last blog entry regarding the drift of consumer preferences from transitional media, I can confidently say that the way audiences are consuming media is extremely different. I gave examples of how I wanted to listen to personal radio shows and read Liverpool books, but the only places I could access them whilst in Connecticut, was online! Ratings are so important for traditional media, and continue to be with the shift to an online world!
Ratings track how viewers are consuming their media, what they are consuming, when and where they are tuning in. They allow media companies to track how well their content is performing and just how popular it is. Issuing these reports is near enough always Nielsen. Liz Meriwether, creator of Fox’s New Girl says the ratings to them will make of break their whole week! “I always end up opening the email eventually. If the numbers are good, a warmth rushes through my whole body, and I get up and put on a skirt or something, and I’m nice to everyone. On the “Oof” mornings, I’ll usually wear something slouchy, like sweatpants or a dark sweater, and come to work and give someone hell about a story not working just for fun”. (Meriwether)
Ratings will always matter for media companies. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, mobile devices and DVR’s, we can now consume our media at any place at any time, but the ratings will continue to be just as important for media companies. A prime example of their importance is happening as we speak. Based off the viewers, TV is now (hopefully already done) selling advertising space for the most watched event on television, The Super Bowl! Based off TV ratings, companies fight to buy some airtime to sell their products, and the TV use the ratings to see how much they will sell for. The average for 2017 is a whopping $5million! (Kasabian)
With the transition from TV to Netflix, and from Radio to Twitter, there are now alternative ways to track media consumption. Nielsen no longer needs to fit a personal black box to televisions of families, and can now track online through the help of their introduction of Social Content Ratings. People now have the ability to live tweet and connect with shows through hash tags to give their opinions, feedback and also tweet at the hero’s or villains of the show. Nielsen’s launch of the Social Content Rating system means that through a third-party methodology, they can measure program-related social media activity through both Facebook and Twitter. (Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings)
Nielsen President Sean Casey believes that the evolution of Nielsen is running alongside the evolution and transition of media. “With social media playing an increasing role in consumers’ lives and TV experiences, its value for the media industry continues to mature,” said Casey. “We are excited to introduce Social Content Ratings as the first standardized measure for Social TV that networks, agencies, and advertisers can trust for TV planning and informing strategies across social networks. (Casey - Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings)
Cited
Meriwether, Liz. “What It’s Like to Live and Diet by TV Ratings.” Vulture. N.p., 30 Nov. 2015. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. “Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter.” Nielsen, 08 Mar. 2016. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. Kasabian, Paul. “Super Bowl Commercials 2017: Updated Ad Costs, Value and Leaks Info“ Bleacher Report. 04 Feb. 2017. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
Technology has changed drastically in the last decade or so. Looking back, social media was never what it is today. Nowadays, people only communicate via texting, social media or sometimes talking on the phone (but it’s pretty rare). Especially with the generation after the millennial, they are going to be all digital media and nothing else. I read an article recently describing the new generation explaining, “since generation X spends more time on social media than millennial, this information will change the strategies for social media companies by making it more accessible and more user-friendly...” (Bovaird). Along the lines of social media, the same thing has happened with television. The television industry has evolved so much, that many people aren’t watching an actual television anymore. Whether one is watching on an iPad, computer, iPhone, tablet, etc., the actual television is not involved. These are all some of the huge changes that have recently occurred in how audiences consume media. With all of this said, ratings certainly still matter. Nielson recently reported that, “consumers are changing with the times, and the same goes for us. As technology continues to evolve and media companies try new ways to attract viewers, understanding what consumers are watching—and what they’re watching on—is more important than ever” (Solutions). These ratings are extremely important because they still tell us what people like to watch, which demographics are watching and what shows are doing the best. Nielson further explains how these ratings are imperative and are the “Holy Grail” of audience measurement. “This measurement breadth allows clients to plan programming and advertising for their ideal audience” (Solutions). It allows for the right advertisements to be shown during the right shows, in order to be viewed by the appropriate audience.
ReplyDeleteMany people on the Internet or using different forms of media don’t even know they are being tracked. The information we look up on the Internet later becomes the advertisements we see. This is known as “online tracking”, which is where the websites we visit are tracked on our devices (Tynan). Media exists in all forms such as television, film, newspapers, books, etc., but social media is frequently tracked, as well. With the rapid change of technology everyday, this is an alternative way to track media consumption. Nielsen recently launched a new program called, “Social Content Ratings, the most comprehensive measure of program-related social media activity across both Facebook and Twitter. This launch marks the first time that social TV insights across Facebook and Twitter will be measured with a standardized, third-party methodology and shared with the industry” (Nielsen's Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter). President of Nielson Social, Sean Casey, says that he’s excited about this new platform. He explains, “we are excited to introduce Social Content Ratings as the first standardized measure for Social TV that networks, agencies, and advertisers can trust for TV planning and informing strategies across social networks” (Nielsen's Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter). I think this will be a great move for the industry, as social media is what’s really at the top these days. It seems to be what everyone revolves their lives around, and not so much watching actual television, anymore.
DeleteWorks Cited
Bovaird, Charles. "Social Media: How Millennials Are Losing to Gen X." Investopedia. N.p., 31 Jan. 2017. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
"Nielsen's Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter." N.p., 08 Mar. 2016. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
"Solutions." Television Measurement | Television Ratings | Nielsen. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
Tynan, Dan. "Explained: Here's How Advertising Tracks You Across the Web." Yahoo! Yahoo!, 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
ReplyDeleteThe way audiences consume media has changed significantly in the past 5 years. People are no longer tuning in live to watch the latest episode of their favorite show. With working full time and going to school full time I barely have time to watch TV live anymore. I rely on streaming, on demand and DVR in order to keep up with my shows. Nielsen “provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers watch and buy” (Nielsen). Ratings play such an important role in the way company’s track and research how people consume media. They allow networks to see what shows are succeeding, what formats are working and what needs to be tweaked. But due to the way that consumers watch TV ratings have dropped, but the drop in rating does not necessarily mean that people aren’t watching and enjoying these shows. Ratings don’t include views from people who watch it days after the show aired or if they are streaming it on a phone or laptop through an OTT or on demand. TV networks also rely on these ratings to determine if a show is worth it to keep in production. The Vulture article “Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety” creators, producers and actors know the importance that ratings hold, even if the consumer doesn’t. In the article actor Adam Pally expresses a frustration with streaming services not giving total access to ratings and numbers.
Kurt Sutter, creator and executive producers of The Bastard Executioners and Sons of Anarchy says that ratings to him are more importance than good reviews and awards. The size of his “viewing circle” is how he tells if his show is compelling. “If I can do all these, I can sustain and hopefully increase my circle. If I cannot, the circle finds a better story and goes away. Measuring the size of an audience is an imperfect, confusing and mercurial science but it is the only formula we have” (Fernandez). There have been improvement in terms of how Nielsen tracks rating but there is still along way to go. In August, Nielsen announced the launch of “Social Content Ratings “the most comprehensive measure of program-related social media activity across both Facebook and Twitter” (Nielsen). Social Media opens up a whole new world of tracking ratings that has yet to really be explored. Live tweeting is huge, people are able to connect with other viewers and even interact with cast members. Using those tweets and other posts on social media poses a challenge in terms of tracking ratings. Eventually creator’s producers and writers can utilize these responses as a way to improve shows and cater them to audience requests. As we continue to change the way we consume media, ratings will always be a permanent part in how we track and research media usage.
DeleteFernandez, Maria Elena and Josef Adalian. "Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety." Vulture 2 Dec. 2015. Web.
"Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 23 Jan. 2016. Web.
"NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web.
Olivia Dufault
ReplyDeleteHow audiences consume media has changed drastically over the past few years. Television show ratings are no longer just based on how many people viewed a show during its original airtime. With the increase in media platforms, shows can be rated by how many people are watching, what platform they are using to watch, their engagement with the show through social media, and more. Due to the increase in the ways audiences can consume media, ratings do still matter, but not as much as they used to and in a different way.
Ratings are no longer about instant gratification because the variety of platforms audiences can use to watch shows, including streaming sites and video on-demand, have turned must-see TV into “I’ll watch when I want to” TV (Adalian, 2015). Networks do not have to focus so much on how big the original audience is for a show, so instead they “are increasingly favoring shows that can draw a consistent audience among at least some significant demographic group, or those that perform particularly well on a specific platform” (Adalian, 2015).
Due to the emerging new ways to consume media, Nielsen is changing and updating the way it measures ratings. So, although live TV ratings do not matter as much anymore, ratings in general are still important because Nielsen’s “expansive and representative television measurement services capture video viewings across all screens: television, computers, and mobile devices” (Nielsen Solutions: What We Measure). Now that live television ratings are not the main issue, seeing how a show is doing across all media platforms is becoming increasingly important, especially when it comes to social media.
As social media continues to become more prevalent in society, social media usage connected to television shows is becoming increasingly important. Originally, Nielsen was only tracking Twitter ratings, but the company recently announced the launch of Social Content Ratings, which will be “the most comprehensive measure of program-related social media activity across both Facebook and Twitter” (Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings). It’s important to track program-related social media content because it allows networks to see if shows are relating with audience members and helps keep audience members engaged with their favorite shows. Recently, shows have started developing personal hashtags and handles, which often can make social media tracking easier; however, audience members do not always use show-related handles and hashtags, so “Nielsen measurement uses comprehensive classifier set that includes official program hashtags and handles as well as organic hashtags, program names, character names, talent names and other program-related phrases” (Methodology Matters) to be sure that all social TV activity is being measured.
Olivia Dufault Cont.
DeleteA big issue within the ratings system however, is that streaming sites such as Netflix do not share information about how their series are doing with anyone including subscribers, studios, stars, or producers. It’s beneficial to Netflix because it gives the company all of the leverage, however it also allows it to underpay the people they work with (Adalian, 2015). Many producers are still in favor of ratings because it allows them to change their creative point of view if a show isn’t doing well or rejoice when a show receives high ratings. Some feel that Netflix refusing to share this information “is some kind of way to prevent creative entities from knowing their true worth, and forcing them to work for a number that may be below their value” (Fernandez and Adalian, 2015). Many in the entertainment industry don’t believe Netflix and other streaming sites will continue to be able to get away with this because eventually new competition will emerge, and ratings will become a necessity, at least in some way (Adalian, 2015).
It’s easy to see there are a variety of ways to track media consumption, however “ad-supported networks, both broadcast and cable, will most likely continue to prefer programs that command big same-day ratings” (Adalian, 2015) because that is how they make money instantly. Time-shifted viewing is a bonus because it gives various shows a chance to increase their ratings over a certain amount of time and gain a viewership; however there will always be shows that simply just won’t make the cut.
Works Cited
Adalian, Josef. "How Hollywood Gossips About Netflix’s Hidden Ratings." Vulture 1 Dec. 2015. Web.
Fernandez, Maria Elena and Josef Adalian. "Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety." Vulture 2 Dec. 2015. Web.
"METHODOLOGY MATTERS – THE KEY TO SOCIAL TV MEASUREMENT IS IN THE DETAILS," Nielsen.com 5 Dec. 2016. Web.
"NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web.
"Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 23 Jan. 2016. Web.
Ratings used to be an appropriate system of identifying what the general public is watching. From this data you could distinguish which shows were succeeding and which shows were falling short of viewership expectations. High ratings served as a safety net for shows that are fighting for another season in a competitive marketplace. Wendy Mericle, executive producer of Arrow explains this safety net by saying, “If you’re holding your numbers, your chances of getting another five years out of the show are much higher. But now we can’t stop the room anymore to obsess over the numbers — we have to keep working to come up with the next big idea.” (Fernandez, Adalian)
ReplyDeleteThe algorithm to determine the success of a show was fairly simple – track the ratings week by week. With new technology however, this has become more complex. The pull from traditional TV to other nontraditional platforms, like Netflix, Hulu, and video on demand means that consumers can wait any length of time, whether it be a week or a year, to watch their favorite shows. Personally, I prefer to binge-watch a show on Netflix in one sitting. My schedule is not flexible enough where I can sit in front of the television at a specific time every week to watch my favorite show. Ratings do not cover the viewers who are watching days later on various streaming platforms. According to Vulture, this is forcing networks to find new ways to measure how viewers consume their content, as well as changing how traditional networks do business. (Adalian)
In “What We Measure,” Nielsen Solutions writes, “As technology continues to evolve and media companies try new ways to attract viewers, understanding what consumers are watching is more important than ever. Today, viewing video is a personal and mobile experience—anytime and anywhere. This media fragmentation is both a challenge and an opportunity.” (Nielsen)
One opportunity that Nielsen is exploring is the measurement of program-related social media activity across Facebook and Twitter. Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings will work to help TV networks and advertisers “maximize the social impact of their cross-platform strategies.” (Nielsen) Keith Kindle, CEO of FremantleMedia, which produces The X Factor, American Idol, and Britain’s Got Talent, believes that social engagement is more important than TV ratings in the eyes of advertisers. He said, “A few years ago, the only things that mattered was ratings. Now what matters more is the level of social engagement around the content. No longer is it: here’s a content idea we’re going to make, let’s produce it, put it up and then let’s think about the social engagement around it.” (Williams)
DeleteI think tracking social media activity is great way to connect with audiences week after week and it’s certainly a unique solution to the issue.
It’s evident that the way TV networks track viewership will have to change in the coming years. I believe that long-term, multi-platform ratings will be the most effective to accurately measure viewership.
Works Cited
Adalian, Josef. "Why the New Era of TV Ratings Means More of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive." Vulture. N.p., 30 Nov. 2015. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
Fernandez, Maria Elena and Josef Adalian. "Kurt Sutter, Adam Pally, and More Share Their TV-Ratings Anxiety." Vulture 2 Dec. 2015. Web.
"NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web.
"Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 23 Jan. 2016. Web.
Williams, Oscar. "Social Engagement More Important than TV Ratings” Publishing and Platforms. Guardian News and Media, 21 Jan. 2015. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
Television content is consumed at many different times throughout the week and day. Viewers also consume television content on several different platforms beside the traditional television set. With all the new and different ways that television shows are viewed it can be hard for ratings to be tracked accurately and across multiple platforms. However, ratings are still important and beneficial to television networks in order for them to continue to benefit financially, creatively, and to keep audiences.
ReplyDeleteIt is extremely important for networks and advertiser’s to understand their Audiences. To know what type of content will draw them and keep them watching over continuous seasons. That’s why still having ratings on television content is still necessary and important. According to Nielsen by television shows being rated it, “Allows clients to plan programming and advertising for their ideal audience,” (Nielsen Solutions). This means that if a show, such as Riverdale its gets a high rating among the age demographic of 18-24, but a lower rating in ages 35 and older, a network can then begin to customize and gear the content of that particular show towards the age demographic that had the highest rating.
Additionally, these ratings will help networks and advertisers with the right ad content to be displayed when the show is aired or is DVR. Nielsen has stated, “We can tell clients which commercials are being watched, as well as which ones have the strongest engagement and impact,” (Nielsen Solutions). By knowing the demographic and amount of viewers advertisers can target the core audience of that specific show because they already have the basic information they need from the ratings that they receive. Furthermore, according to Hogan, “ TV networks and stations use these metrics to set their advertising rates,” (Hogan 2013). This means that networks can set their rates for advertising space higher if their show had a strong ratings and a lot of viewers. This also gives networks even more of advantage because with the ability to charge more for advertising space allows the network more money to work with, in order to produce other shows and continue with the one that is preforming well.
Throughout the years the way networks received their ratings has been through Nielsen’s traditional means. However, with content being viewed on different platforms alternative ways of tracking ratings could be use in order to calculate more of the non-traditional television viewers.
Today with so many viewers being connected to the social media world it is useful for Nielsen to continue to keep track and factor in the social media communication among the audience of the show. According to Nielsen, “TV programmers are integrating hashtags and social conversations directly into their shows,” (Nielsen Solutions). Therefore, if shows are purposefully adding hashtags and interactive media into their shows to create conversations and gain more live viewers, then this form of social media measurement should be integrated more heavily into ratings. This is because according to Hogan, “It may be far more important and informative to analyze the “buzz” on Twitter and Facebook than to know whether a show is being viewed on the household television,” (Hogan 2013). I agree with this because it gives the networks the knowledge of how many people are engaged with their show, but are using different platforms to vocalize their engagement.
DeleteAdditionally, with viewers viewing content on multiple platforms there should be a better way to track those viewers and add them to the rating numbers. The app Symphony is a tool that is able to track cross-platform viewing, meaning it can tell if a viewer is watching live or playback programming, if the content is being watched at home or on the go, and, “If someone watches a program on digital first, then switches to live TV,” (Raphael 2017). This app could be a great alternate tool for networks that want track how many viewers they are gaining through other platforms beside the live television platform because, “particular program is being viewed beyond the Nielsen currency,” (Raphael 2017). Ultimately, having an additional alternate way to track ratings can beneficial to many people within the television due to the ever-changing ways that consumers view content.
Works Cited
Hogan, Dwayne. "How Do Nielsen Ratings Work?" The CableTV Blog. N.p., 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
" Nielsen Solutions-What We Measure." Television Measurement | Television Ratings | Nielsen. The Nielsen Company, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
Raphael, Rina. "Can One App Revolutionize TV Ratings For The Streaming And Binge-Watching Era?" Fast Company. N.p., 01 Feb. 2017. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.
While it has become difficult to measure ratings, they are still “a central component of the television industry…” (Museum.tv). Since ratings help determine advertising rates, “…the rating of a TV show can have a direct effect on the financial bottom line for a network or station” (Hogan). Liz Meriwether, creator of Fox’s New Girl, even explained, in regards to Nielsen ratings, “Those numbers go out, and then almost all creative decisions about network television in America are made based on them” (Meriwether). So, as we can see, ratings are still very important to television networks since they can determine how much the company makes in advertising dollars. However, the way ratings are important has changed. It is no longer so much about over night ratings as it is ratings in the long run. It is no longer so much about ratings on live TV or DVR’s as it is about ratings for live TV, DVR’s, OnDemand, and streaming services combined. Since, “aggregating big audiences right away has become far more difficult, networks are increasingly favoring shows that can draw a consistent audience among at least some significant demographic group, or those that perform particularly well on a specific platform” (Adalian). It’s okay for a show not to bring in a huge audience when it airs live. Since ratings can now be measured over multiple platforms and over a longer time period, as long as shows can get enough viewers within smaller target markets it can still end up with significant overall ratings (Adalian). However, networks have to take these new ways of consuming media into account when looking at ratings. It’s no longer just about overnight ratings like it used to be. Consumers are watching days, weeks, months, sometimes year after a show airs on television. So, while ratings are still very important they way we measure, look at and use them has changed with the increase in options audiences have to consume media.
ReplyDeleteWhile it has become difficult to measure ratings, they are still “a central component of the television industry…” (Museum.tv). Since ratings help determine advertising rates, “…the rating of a TV show can have a direct effect on the financial bottom line for a network or station” (Hogan). Liz Meriwether, creator of Fox’s New Girl, even explained, in regards to Nielsen ratings, “Those numbers go out, and then almost all creative decisions about network television in America are made based on them” (Meriwether). So, as we can see, ratings are still very important to television networks since they can determine how much the company makes in advertising dollars. However, the way ratings are important has changed. It is no longer so much about over night ratings as it is ratings in the long run. It is no longer so much about ratings on live TV or DVR’s as it is about ratings for live TV, DVR’s, OnDemand, and streaming services combined. Since, “aggregating big audiences right away has become far more difficult, networks are increasingly favoring shows that can draw a consistent audience among at least some significant demographic group, or those that perform particularly well on a specific platform” (Adalian). It’s okay for a show not to bring in a huge audience when it airs live. Since ratings can now be measured over multiple platforms and over a longer time period, as long as shows can get enough viewers within smaller target markets it can still end up with significant overall ratings (Adalian). However, networks have to take these new ways of consuming media into account when looking at ratings. It’s no longer just about overnight ratings like it used to be. Consumers are watching days, weeks, months, sometimes year after a show airs on television. So, while ratings are still very important they way we measure, look at and use them has changed with the increase in options audiences have to consume media.
DeleteWorks Cited
Delete"Nielsen Solutions - What We Measure." Nielsen.com. Accessed 06 Feb. 2017. Web.
Hogan, Dwayne. “How Do Nielsen Ratings Work?” CableTV.com, 19 Feb. 2013. Web.
"NIELSEN'S SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS™ LAUNCHES TO BECOME FIRST STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT ACROSS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER," Nielsen.com 3 Aug. 2016. Web.
Meriwether, Liz. "What It’s Like to Live and Die by TV Ratings." Vulture 30 Nov. 2015. Web.
Adalian, Josef. "Why the New Era of TV Ratings Means More of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive." Vulture 30 Nov. 2015. Web.
“The Museum of Broadcast Communications – Encyclopedia of Television – Ratings.” The Museum of Broadcast Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
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ReplyDeleteThe way audiences consume media has changed over the past few years due to the ability to stream and consume media through other platforms. Since there has been a change in how media is consumed, the way viewership ratings can be recorded must also change. Just because the way we consume media has changed does not mean that ratings are no longer important. Nielsen just had to take it to the next level and expand their ways for tracking media consumption and ratings. “As technology continues to evolve and media companies try new ways to attract viewers, understanding what consumers are watching and what they’re watching on, is more important than ever,” thus wanting to know how and what people are watching still remains important in Nielsen’s ratings (Television Management).
ReplyDeleteWith the growth in social media participation, Nielsen has found a way to track “second screen” engagement. Aside from social media, Nielsen is also tracking whether or not the consumer recorded the show, if the consumer streamed it, as well as if the consumer was watching it on a mobile device or online, these changes have helped Nielsen adapt to the expansion in the variety of platforms used to consume media. “Social media provides a level of insight into viewership that mere channel viewing data cannot. In other words, it may be far more important and informative to analyze the ‘buzz’ on Twitter and Facebook than to know whether a show is being viewed on a household television” (Hogan, Dwayne).
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSicbaldi Continued
DeleteIn 2013, Nielsen created a way to measure TV-related conversations that were happening on Twitter. “TV networks can measure the full Twitter engagement surrounding programs and agencies and advertisers can integrate the full impact of Twitter TV into their make data-driven media planning and buying decisions” (Social TV). Advertisers and other agencies are still concerned with TV ratings because that is what they base their advertisements on. The ratings are still important because they are still giving these companies a demographic, it was not until recently that they had to look into more than just your typical television set consumer. Nielsen’s ratings still provide measurement solutions, demographic information, and behavioral insights that help these companies better understand how consumers are engaging with the media across all platforms. It is still extremely important for networks and advertisers to understand how consumers are consuming media and what specific media they are consuming. These ratings give companies an idea of what programming will draw what demographic as well as determine the programming’s popularity. They also will show advertisers whether or not the program was watched live or shown via DVR, thus determining whether or not an advertisement would be worth it. If the consumer is fast-forwarding through all of the commercials would it really be worth it to pay big bucks for that ad space?
Works Cited
Hogan, Dwayne. "How Do Nielsen Ratings Work?" The CableTV Blog. N.p., 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 06
Feb. 2017.
Social TV | Understanding Chatter about Your TV Programs | Nielsen. Nielsen, n.d. Web. 06 Feb.
2017.
Television Measurement | Television Ratings | Nielsen. Nielsen, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
Looking at the evolution of media consumer habits in the past decade, it is easy to notice a significant shift in the last four years. The changing ways of consuming media, and the way that this shift is covered has left traditional networks damaged and weakened. As Adalian states, accompanying the growth of streaming, “broadcast and cable outlets have had to endure screaming headlines and snarky tweets about big ratings drops.” Such coverage shifts even more attention towards streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. In response to the fall of traditional television, Netflix claims to be just “responding to the consumers’ needs.” Countering Netflix’s growing influential image, the recent data released by Symphony Advanced has placed Netflix hits on the same level as less-than-hits on NBC. Rather than granting streaming the attention it has earned, Symphony Advanced CEO has stated, "It's important to know that TV actually is growing very well, and streaming originals … are supplementing it.”
ReplyDeleteDespite this data, the growing impact of streaming has created or at least contributed to the rising phenomenon of nonlinear viewership. This new trend in consumer behavior inevitably forces a change in how ratings and viewership habits are tracked by companies like Nielson. As consumers turn towards on-demand services, they start binge-watching shows through streaming services instead of watching one episode each week. This creates a change in how networks view measures of success, because “it can take up to six weeks for these streaming stats to come in.” (Adalian) Because rating measures have pushed periods to be longer, networks often have a time frame where they have very little idea of their shows’ success rates. , Like in the case of Bob’s Burgers if which 38 percent of the monthly audience comes from viewers who stream the show, many shows have a significant portion of their audience that follows a nonlinear viewership path.
One tracking method that has developed in response to the changing trends is tracking social media records of consumers. “Developing a comprehensive classifier set of keywords, phrases, names, hashtags and accounts that people could mention while posting about a particular program is one of the keys to capturing total social TV activity.” (Nielsen) This method helps companies track consumer behavior and shows’ ratings in certainly a non-traditional way, but it proves helpful and accurate.
Overall, in order to yield accurate results of viewership habits, ratings and all other relevant data, tracking methods have taken a different turn that is certainly interesting to watch. As audiences grow to prefer on-demand services and cord-cutting becomes a wide-spread phenomenon, it’s expected that these tracking methods will alter even more rapidly in the future.
Works Cited
Delete"METHODOLOGY MATTERS – THE KEY TO SOCIAL TV MEASUREMENT IS IN THE DETAILS," Nielsen.com 5 Dec. 2016. Web.
Adalian, Josef. "Why the New Era of TV Ratings Means More of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive." Vulture 30 Nov. 2015. Web.
Harvey, Natalie. "NBC vs. Netflix: Why a Ratings 'Reveal' Matters." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 20 Jan. 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.
Michelle Garcia
ReplyDeleteFebruary 7, 2017
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Whenever I scroll through Netflix or YouTube videos the first thing I look at is the rating or comments on whatever I decide to watch. It’s a habit I can’t shake; I am genuinely interested in what others think when it comes to media. When I see a show has less than 3 stars I never click on it to watch, even if someone I know recommends it to me. Ratings still matter and are much more relevant today than they were in the past. Before, consumers didn’t have a lot of options on what to watch and would instead just watch whatever was available to them at the time. Today, the options are endless and OTT services continue to drop new materials whenever they get the chance. Consumers also want quick information and having a rating system in place helps them know whether or not a show is worth watching. They base their opinions on what the majority of people consider to be good, “You could just look at the numbers and say, ‘that show is worthy, and that show is not,” (Adalian, 1). Although the way we consume media has changed a lot during the years I think that the rating system has just become more prevalent and necessary as well. There are also benefits for the shows themselves, those who didn’t get the best ratings at first now can wait it out a little longer thanks to the changes in which we consume media. Many don’t watch a show until months later, once they’ve heard enough buzz from friends and family. “Shows that once might have suffered premature deaths due to low tune-in may now be able to hang on, and even thrive, in a universe no longer wholly ruled by the tyranny of instant Nielsen judgment,” (Adalian, 1). The rating system also helps major media companies decide advertising choices so that they can have the most money and exposure for a certain brand. “National and local TV ratings help media companies and brands decide how to spend the over $80 billion on TV advertising in the U.S. alone,” (What We Measure, 1). It may be much more challenging to rate shows when they’re on streaming services like Netflix but they are still valuable for all parties. I think it’ll be interesting to see ratings on social media pages alone, I know that in the past there have been advertisements for companies that give out faulty products; especially when it comes to clothing. Ratings are going to be everywhere and are just going to have a bigger presence in media today. “According to a survey by BrightLocal, 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation,” (DeMers, 1). This is especially interesting because these ratings and reviews come from complete strangers. I can only see the progression of such rating systems because of how much value they have for the consumers, advertising and media companies.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Adalian, Josef. "Why The New Era Of TV Ratings Means More Of Your Favorite Shows Might Survive". Vulture. N.p., 2015. Web. 7 Feb. 2017.
DeMers, Jayson. "How Important Are Customer Reviews For Online Marketing?". Forbes.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 7 Feb. 2017.
"What We Measure". Neilsen.com. Web. 7 Feb. 2017.
Media ratings modern days is not as crucial as they were in the past. The concept of the rating system is to measure what media is consumed and by whom. The accuracy and reliability of the rating system is what makes it so important. But is it important still? The answer is yes; the rating system does matter in some aspects. Does the rating system critically matter? No, because there are companies like Hulu, Amazon and Netflix that could make up for a decline in ratings. Typically, you would think that a low rating system means a decline in revenue, which used to be the case. Modern times you can get buy with declining ratings without it hurting your company too bad. It all depends on who you partner with. The beauty and complications of modern times comes with the word complexity. Media and ratings have become so complex that the actual purpose also transforms to be more complex. Ratings certainly matters for marketers and consumer loyalty but not so much for the revenue itself. The Media Rating Council prides itself on validity, reliability and effectiveness while suggesting 100% transparency. As many top companies are members of the Media Rating Council as of 2017, ratings must have some significance now even though its not what it used to be. While ratings have migrated from being a quick check to see if a show is worth the watch or not to tracking everything you do for marketing purposes it contradicts the whole purpose and point of the original rating system. It seemed it went from being more for the use of the consumer to more of a tactic for marketers to use against consumers.
ReplyDelete"Mission." Mission. Accredited by Media Rating Council, n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.
After recently writing my last blog entry regarding the drift of consumer preferences from transitional media, I can confidently say that the way audiences are consuming media is extremely different. I gave examples of how I wanted to listen to personal radio shows and read Liverpool books, but the only places I could access them whilst in Connecticut, was online! Ratings are so important for traditional media, and continue to be with the shift to an online world!
ReplyDeleteRatings track how viewers are consuming their media, what they are consuming, when and where they are tuning in. They allow media companies to track how well their content is performing and just how popular it is. Issuing these reports is near enough always Nielsen.
Liz Meriwether, creator of Fox’s New Girl says the ratings to them will make of break their whole week! “I always end up opening the email eventually. If the numbers are good, a warmth rushes through my whole body, and I get up and put on a skirt or something, and I’m nice to everyone. On the “Oof” mornings, I’ll usually wear something slouchy, like sweatpants or a dark sweater, and come to work and give someone hell about a story not working just for fun”. (Meriwether)
Ratings will always matter for media companies. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, mobile devices and DVR’s, we can now consume our media at any place at any time, but the ratings will continue to be just as important for media companies. A prime example of their importance is happening as we speak. Based off the viewers, TV is now (hopefully already done) selling advertising space for the most watched event on television, The Super Bowl! Based off TV ratings, companies fight to buy some airtime to sell their products, and the TV use the ratings to see how much they will sell for. The average for 2017 is a whopping $5million! (Kasabian)
DeleteWith the transition from TV to Netflix, and from Radio to Twitter, there are now alternative ways to track media consumption. Nielsen no longer needs to fit a personal black box to televisions of families, and can now track online through the help of their introduction of Social Content Ratings. People now have the ability to live tweet and connect with shows through hash tags to give their opinions, feedback and also tweet at the hero’s or villains of the show. Nielsen’s launch of the Social Content Rating system means that through a third-party methodology, they can measure program-related social media activity through both Facebook and Twitter. (Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings)
Nielsen President Sean Casey believes that the evolution of Nielsen is running alongside the evolution and transition of media. “With social media playing an increasing role in consumers’ lives and TV experiences, its value for the media industry continues to mature,” said Casey. “We are excited to introduce Social Content Ratings as the first standardized measure for Social TV that networks, agencies, and advertisers can trust for TV planning and informing strategies across social networks. (Casey - Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings)
DeleteCited
Meriwether, Liz. “What It’s Like to Live and Diet by TV Ratings.” Vulture. N.p., 30 Nov. 2015. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.
“Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings Launches to Become First Standardized Measurement Across Facebook and Twitter.” Nielsen, 08 Mar. 2016. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.
Kasabian, Paul. “Super Bowl Commercials 2017: Updated Ad Costs, Value and Leaks Info“ Bleacher Report. 04 Feb. 2017. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.