Nielsen ratings
TV popularity numbers
Nielsen ratings are measurements of television audience size, named after the Nielsen Company that has tracked U.S. viewing habits since the 1950s.
The ratings determine advertising rates and often decide whether shows get renewed or canceled.
A show's Nielsen numbers indicate what percentage of households tuned in: The finale pulled huge Nielsen ratings.
Television's highest-viewership period
- sweeps weekTV audience measurement week
- daypartNamed portion of day
- broadcast networksFree airwave TV channels
- cable networksSubscription television stations
affiliate · syndication · programming · schedule · lead-in · lead-out · time slot · fall premiere
Cohabitating domestic units
- sampleSubset for study
- data collectionSystematic accumulation of facts
- sharePortion given out
- PUTResource replacement request
Cohorts defined by birth years
- householdsCohabitating domestic units
- target audienceIntended recipients of content
- total viewersComplete number watching
- segmentationDivision into sections
Cost for promotional placement
- CPMRate per mille
- sponsorshipFunded endorsement arrangement
- makegoodsReplacement ads for shortfalls
- premium pricingCharging above competitors deliberately
primetime
Television's highest-viewership period
- sweeps weekTV audience measurement week
- daypartNamed portion of day
- broadcast networksFree airwave TV channels
cable networks · affiliate · syndication · programming · schedule · lead-in · lead-out · time slot · fall premiere · season finale
households
Cohabitating domestic units
- sampleSubset for study
- data collectionSystematic accumulation of facts
- sharePortion given out
age groups
Cohorts defined by birth years
- householdsCohabitating domestic units
- target audienceIntended recipients of content
- total viewersComplete number watching
ad rates
Cost for promotional placement
- CPMRate per mille
- sponsorshipFunded endorsement arrangement
- makegoodsReplacement ads for shortfalls
- televisionTV, television, broadcast, TV shows, TV series
- Television Historygolden age, broadcast networks, network television, color TV, live broadcasts
- sitcomssitcom, sitcoms, episode, episodic, season
- TV seriesTV series, drama series, sitcom, soap opera, miniseries
- audience metricsviews, impressions, reach, watch time, audience share
- local broadcastinglocal channels, local news, local affiliates, regional TV, regional network
Nielsen ratingsreal-time tracking
Observing position continuously without delay