2018 Network Nielsen Ratings (2024 Update) - Page 2 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

cfr1970 · 01-01-2019, 05:28 PM

How do they get these counts on the viewer numbers for over the air channels? Do they still calculate via those "Nielson boxes"? (I've never had one and never met someone who actually did) And how can they tell what channels our televisions are tuned to if we're just using basic rabbit ear antennas? Or are we not even factored into the ratings numbers?

I can understand how it would be easy to figure cable ratings because customers are all using subscription based accounts and it's probably easy to see who's watching what on their cable boxes, but i've always wondered about those of us who just use over the air antennas. Can they still see what channels are being watched via antenna?

stevea · 01-01-2019, 05:53 PM

I once kept a diary for Nielsen. They want you to write down everything that is watched, as well as when the TV is on but no one is watching. For this they send you a dollar bill. This was back around 2004 or so.

I don't know if they still use the boxes, nor if they even do the diaries.

cfr1970 · 01-01-2019, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I once kept a diary for Nielsen. They want you to write down everything that is watched, as well as when the TV is on but no one is watching. For this they send you a dollar bill. This was back around 2004 or so.

I don't know if they still use the boxes, nor if they even do the diaries.

Yeah, I would think those Nielson boxes would be deemed outdated technology and not used anymore. My guess is they can tell instantly who's watching what via wifi connected cable boxes as well as download streaming.
I just wonder how they can calculate those of us who aren't connected and use old fashioned rabbit ears. My guess is we don't factor into the rating numbers.

I remember around the early 00's I got a Nielson offer in the mail with the booklet, but tossed it as I was too busy working at the time to watch TV much less write down everything I tuned into. Never got another offer since.

cfr1970 · 12-26-2019, 10:04 PM

MeTV at #27 is impressive. It's sadly the only channel I can't pull in unless I splurge on a stronger antenna. It's nice to see classic channels gaining in popularity, but with all the crap airing on modern TV it's not too surprising.

I wonder why Antenna TV isn't being reported. It's the channel I most watch. Also Buzzr which I don't see there either.

stevea · 12-27-2019, 06:45 PM

Cozi TV is losing audience year to year, which shows why Indianapolis is losing Cozi TV.

stevea · 12-27-2019, 07:11 PM

MeTV does better overall than Nick, Nick at Nite, and TV Land. No diginet is in the top 50, 18-49 though.

HGTV is down 10%--I find that network very annoying with their constant bugs in the lower right corner. Cool it!

Nick is down 21%, and Nick at Nite is down 24%. Maybe they should try some other programs besides Friends. TV Land does better than the Nicks, losing only 3%.

LUNCH · 12-28-2019, 02:50 PM

Very impressive for MeTV.What I also found interesting but not surprising is how the ratings for the big networks ABC,CBS and NBC whose ratings were already so low compared to how they were back in the day, just continue to keep falling and falling.

zeebre12 · 12-29-2019, 07:43 PM

Are these average primetime ratings or what are they really? Or is On Demand viewing counted as well?

LUNCH · 12-30-2019, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeebre12

Are these average primetime ratings or what are they really? Or is On Demand viewing counted as well?

Yeah,I don't really understand those numbers either.

LUNCH · 12-30-2019, 01:28 PM

It also seems to me that the Nielsen ratings have become very confusing.And I am just taking a wild guess.It may be because the big networks especially want to try to hide the fact of how low their ratings really are these days.

Alan Brady's Hair · 12-31-2021, 06:28 PM

2021 network rankings:

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/net...235143630/amp/

Antenna TV is finally reported, and seems remarkably low on the list at #84. It's just above LAFF, and below H&I and Cozi.

Some of the bigger diginets, with average prime time viewers:

23. MeTV 752,000
38. Grit 412,000
56. Bounce 252,000
66. Start 220,000
76. H&I 191,000
77. Cozi 189,000
84. Antenna TV 143,000
85. Laff 142,000
97. Comet 100,00
103. Charge! 82,000

icecream · 12-31-2021, 07:05 PM

MeTV is in the top 25, yet Fort Wayne's horribly run branch of Comcast still refuses to put it on their system. I would still prefer its sister station Decades though, MeTV has some good stuff but way too much westerns.

Alan Brady's Hair · 12-29-2022, 02:43 PM

2022 rankings:

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/mos...235475170/amp/

Antenna's numbers are incomprehensibly small.

Svenfan1234 · 12-29-2022, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

2022 rankings:

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/mos...235475170/amp/

Antenna's numbers are incomprehensibly small.

Cozi doing better than Antenna is surprising, even more is Laff growing in ratings but Home Improvement and That 70s Show are popular, but I haven’t watched them since they dropped Empty Nest. I’m wondering how Decades is doing because that is arguably the best diginet right now.

stevea · 12-29-2022, 07:29 PM

TV Land was one of the few cable networks that did not lose audience, but the once-great Nick lost 14% at #45, to TV Land's #27. At #22, MeTV beat them both.

Cozi is impressive at #68 and is one of the few that gained viewers.

None of the diginets show up in the top 40 in the key demo, 18-49.

01-01-2019, 05:28 PM	#16
cfr1970 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2017 Location: Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 3,368	How do they get these counts on the viewer numbers for over the air channels? Do they still calculate via those "Nielson boxes"? (I've never had one and never met someone who actually did) And how can they tell what channels our televisions are tuned to if we're just using basic rabbit ear antennas? Or are we not even factored into the ratings numbers? I can understand how it would be easy to figure cable ratings because customers are all using subscription based accounts and it's probably easy to see who's watching what on their cable boxes, but i've always wondered about those of us who just use over the air antennas. Can they still see what channels are being watched via antenna?

01-01-2019, 05:53 PM	#17
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,064	I once kept a diary for Nielsen. They want you to write down everything that is watched, as well as when the TV is on but no one is watching. For this they send you a dollar bill. This was back around 2004 or so. I don't know if they still use the boxes, nor if they even do the diaries.

12-26-2019, 10:04 PM	#19
cfr1970 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2017 Location: Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 3,368	MeTV at #27 is impressive. It's sadly the only channel I can't pull in unless I splurge on a stronger antenna. It's nice to see classic channels gaining in popularity, but with all the crap airing on modern TV it's not too surprising. I wonder why Antenna TV isn't being reported. It's the channel I most watch. Also Buzzr which I don't see there either.

12-27-2019, 06:45 PM	#20
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,064	Cozi TV is losing audience year to year, which shows why Indianapolis is losing Cozi TV.

12-27-2019, 07:11 PM	#21
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,064	MeTV does better overall than Nick, Nick at Nite, and TV Land. No diginet is in the top 50, 18-49 though. HGTV is down 10%--I find that network very annoying with their constant bugs in the lower right corner. Cool it! Nick is down 21%, and Nick at Nite is down 24%. Maybe they should try some other programs besides Friends. TV Land does better than the Nicks, losing only 3%.

12-28-2019, 02:50 PM	#22
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	Very impressive for MeTV.What I also found interesting but not surprising is how the ratings for the big networks ABC,CBS and NBC whose ratings were already so low compared to how they were back in the day, just continue to keep falling and falling.

12-29-2019, 07:43 PM	#23
zeebre12 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 13, 2018 Location: New York Posts: 30	Are these average primetime ratings or what are they really? Or is On Demand viewing counted as well?

12-30-2019, 01:28 PM	#25
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	It also seems to me that the Nielsen ratings have become very confusing.And I am just taking a wild guess.It may be because the big networks especially want to try to hide the fact of how low their ratings really are these days.

12-31-2021, 06:28 PM	#26
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,835	2021 network rankings: https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/net...235143630/amp/ Antenna TV is finally reported, and seems remarkably low on the list at #84. It's just above LAFF, and below H&I and Cozi. Some of the bigger diginets, with average prime time viewers: 23. MeTV 752,000 38. Grit 412,000 56. Bounce 252,000 66. Start 220,000 76. H&I 191,000 77. Cozi 189,000 84. Antenna TV 143,000 85. Laff 142,000 97. Comet 100,00 103. Charge! 82,000

12-31-2021, 07:05 PM	#27
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,896	MeTV is in the top 25, yet Fort Wayne's horribly run branch of Comcast still refuses to put it on their system. I would still prefer its sister station Decades though, MeTV has some good stuff but way too much westerns.
	__________________ Top 200 TV Shows https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...14#post6225214 Top 150 Movies https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...84#post6175384 Top 1100 Scripted TV Characters https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=493306 Top Rookie TV Shows by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=365017 Top Movies by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=473533

12-29-2022, 02:43 PM	#28
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,835	2022 rankings: https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/mos...235475170/amp/ Antenna's numbers are incomprehensibly small.

12-29-2022, 07:29 PM	#30
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,064	TV Land was one of the few cable networks that did not lose audience, but the once-great Nick lost 14% at #45, to TV Land's #27. At #22, MeTV beat them both. Cozi is impressive at #68 and is one of the few that gained viewers. None of the diginets show up in the top 40 in the key demo, 18-49.