How do they determine Broadcast ratings?

[quakerboy]

How do they determine ratings for Broadcast TV and radio?

It seems like it would be simple enough for Cable TV, or satellite, where there is two way communication. Theres no way Comcast doesnt track what you watch to try and take advantage of that. I would easily believe the same of Sirius.

But On broadcast TV, or especially on AM or FM radio, how do they get the numbers they claim for ratings? I know there used to be nielson Boxes that went to your TV to monitor it, But I dont know anyone who has personally ever had one of those. And Ive never heard of anything similar for a radio. Nor have I ever heard of, or taken a poll on my TV habits, much less radio listening habits.

How do they get the numbers they claim?

[BigBearJohn]

1. I was contacted by a survey company and used to fill out a weekly diary for the shows I watched.

[graham4anything]

2. weekly diaries, meters and yes, they do now have the ability to know if you tivo/time shift

and satellite

The irony of political talk radio is how little the audience always was, and how it is dropping rapidly.Same with political tv.

At the highest, Rush and Sean get or got 4.3 million listeners.
That is just 1 or 1.5% of the nation rounded of the 320 million people here.
98.5 to 99% do not listen to political talk

and it is why stations now are rapidly attempting to change formats to sports, or normal non-political talk.

Yes, Fox and rightwing radio led and still leads, but the total number is miniscule and Rupert Murdoch basically owns Fox cable and his newspapers to have a vanity publication to spew his views and take the loss.

Eventually the shareholders and when he retires, the new owners will want profit over vanity and Fox will be gone

the days are numbered both on radio/broadcast tv/cable.

Same with sunday morning talking heads. 90% of the country does not tune them in.