Page 440 - Battleground The Media Volume 1 and 2

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ratings

Do the ratings systems that measure the audiences for media such as television,
radio, and the Web accurately reflect what the public is consuming? If not, what
are the consequences? For years, scholars and industry executives alike have
debated whether various audience measurements are accurate or not. Critics
of such measurement systems argue that they present a distorted view of who
is watching or listening, and that these distortions lead to programming that
does not serve the interests of all viewers and listeners. These criticisms have be-
come more pronounced in recent years, as the media environment grows more
complex and the ratings firms introduce new—and sometimes controversial—
measurement systems.
Ratings are the “currency” of the media industry. They provide information on
how many people watched a particular television program or channel, listened
to a particular radio program or station, or visited a particular Web site. Ratings
are produced by outside (or third party) measurement firms such as Nielsen

tiMeline oF audienCe MeasureMent in the united states

1929—The first radio ratings (called the “Crossleys” after lead researcher Archibald Cross-
ley) are established by a consortium of advertisers. Telephone surveys are used to
gather listening data.
1936—Two MIT professors introduce the first “audimeter” device, which automatically
records radio-tuning behaviors. The rights to the device are immediately purchased by
Arthur C. Nielsen.

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