Television Ratings

Si

I wondered if anybody on here has, or knows anybody that has, a BARB box on their teles that means they contribute to national viewing figures. There are over 5,000 people countrywide with these - whose viewing habits create the viewing figures for specific shows.

I've just never come across anyone who has one or knows anything about them...

suzisausage

I used to think that the average reading was based on people living in the midlands. I.E a whole town near birmingham was responsible for all viewing figures.

don't ask me why.

EGAddick

Don't know anything about the box per se, but I did know that they use this system to make up the tv ratings, thus rendering them, IMO, utterly useless.

I remember reading how after Channel 4 decided to switch the scheduling of Peep Show after Series 3, because the ratings dropped they considered axing the show. What had happened was that because they switched the show to a later time of 11.30, hoping to cash-in on returnees from the pub tuning to watch the programme, all that occurred was a ratings fall. It was purely the fact that the subsequent DVD sales of the show were so strong that Channel 4 decided to commission further series. Naturally, since Peep Show has reverted back to it's 10pm slot the ratings have been high again.

It's a flawed system, a show can claim to have had 1 million viewers simply because 83 people involved in the survey tuned into watch the programme.

T

No different to other surveys though, you take your segments you find people that fit exactly with the ranges in that specific demographic segment and they give them a box. Providing your segments are narrow enough you should have a fairly decent view on what the majority of people are watching.

BARB is also rapidly becoming obsolete. On demand TV you can see exactly how many people have watched the programme while Sky & Virgin also recive viewing data back on the recordable boxes as they are plugged into a phone line and give data back at least 4 times within the first year of the contract. (check the small print in your contract!)

But like you Si i've never met anyone that has one either!

F-Blocker

My brother had one for about 3 months a few years ago.

He decided to watch a load of crap that he wouldn't wach normally just for the fun of it! Oh, & he left the telly on when he went to the shops too )

I think he got paid a couple of hundred quid for doing it.

Sussex_Addick

I've always thought they're given enormous power, and I'm surprised there aren't stories of people being bribed by television companies.

T

They are but there are 5000 boxes which covers off around 12,000 people so they can spot the fact if there are abnormal viewing habits.

Besides BARB is owned by all the TV stations so if they wanted to fudge results they could anyway, it would only be the production companies that might gain from bribing individuals!

McLovin

I was once asked to do the radio one but I worked for commercial station at the time so was ineligible.

Bournemouth Addick

My mother-in-law had one for a bit a few years ago. Must have thrown up some interesting results - endless re-runs of Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Countdown and The Antiques Roadshow coupled with some of the more, shall we say, adult orientated output that my Brother-In-Law was into after she'd gone up the wooden hill...

BDL

[cite]Posted By: T[/cite]......while Sky & Virgin also recive viewing data back on the recordable boxes as they are plugged into a phone line and give data back at least 4 times within the first year of the contract. (check the small print in your contract!)

Uh OH!

24 Red

Me and the family are one of the BARB 5,000. They do take reasonably rigorous precautions to ensure accuracy - call me at least once per month routinely and make specific calls when they think the data is inacurate (TV on but nobody shown watching, that sort of thing). The 5,000 are 5,000 families covering all TVs in the household. You can also add guests when appropriate. So more than 5k people.

I suppose it crosses everyone's mind to distorte the figures initially (e.g. add all family members, plus ten guests and switch on UK Living at 2am) but who can be bothered? Not me anyway. Of course if there are any TV producers out there then I'm open to offers.

Si

[cite]Posted By: 24 Red[/cite]Me and the family are one of the BARB 5,000. They do take reasonably rigorous precautions to ensure accuracy - call me at least once per month routinely and make specific calls when they think the data is inacurate (TV on but nobody shown watching, that sort of thing). The 5,000 are 5,000 families covering all TVs in the household. You can also add guests when appropriate. So more than 5k people.

I suppose it crosses everyone's mind to distorte the figures initially (e.g. add all family members, plus ten guests and switch on UK Living at 2am) but who can be bothered? Not me anyway. Of course if there are any TV producers out there then I'm open to offers.

That's interesting - so do you have to set on the box how many people in the house are actually watching the television when you put it on?