Will Peoplemeters Ruin The Boston TV Party?
by Dave Zornow CSP Magazine, June 2001 For more than twenty years, cable networks have been receiving daily demographic numbers from Nielsen. But in spot cable it’s a different story because demo data are only reported during months when Nielsen collects persons viewing via paper diaries. All that changes this year, as Boston becomes the first of ten DMAs to get local market people meters. It’s been a long time coming, and for many apprehensive TV station reps in the Boston market, it is still too soon. Known flaws in the diary which produce “zero cells” in Nielsen reporting will likely change the ratings of all programming, almost certainly lifting the viewing to late night shows and programs with lower ratings. “There is going to be a shift – it will definitely effect the ratings and the buy/sell process,” says Adrienne Lotoski, Research Director at WCVB in Boston. Broadcasters are fearful of the effect of a triple witching which could destabilize the Boston DMA: a new ratings method
