Nielsen ratings have long been the measure of TV success. For the week ending March 22, ABC, CBS and Fox dominated the Nielsen top 20. Not a single NBC or CW show made the list. But does that tell the whole story? Thanks to websites like hulu, viewers are consuming information online in demand.
We measured web chatter for the Nielsen top 20 during the same week, and added several popular NBC and CW shows to our research as well. The results were surprising. Half of our top 10 is comprised of shows on NBC or CW.
1. American Idol (Fox)
2. Gossip Girl (CW)
3. Saturday Night Live (NBC)
4. Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
5. Desparate Housewives (ABC)
6. Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
7. Heroes (NBC)
8. 60 Minutes (CBS)
9. The Office (NBC)
10. 30 Rock (NBC)
March 31, 2009
How does Nielson obtain its data upon which it basis its conclusions? I would think that the survey group has a big impact on the outcome, and that group is selected by Nielson with all the conscious and subconcsious biases entailed in that – whereas on the internet there is no chosen group. It is truly more representative of a cross section of the viewing public.