# Television Ratings....stumped **URL:** \ **Category:** random\ **Created:** [February 5, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877 "2003-02-05T17:21:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fester8542](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a183cd/32.png) [@fester8542](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/fester8542)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/1 "2003-02-05T17:21:02Z")
\I was looking through [CNN.com](http://CNN.com) and I came across this article. I generally dont give a floppy shiznit about this kind of stuff but… look at this and hopefully you can answer my question\ > BOX OFFICE TOP 10 > Prime-time ratings compiled by Nielsen Media Research for January 27 - February 2. 1. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” 16.6 million homes 2. “Friends,” 16.3 million homes 3. “American Idol-Wednesday, (tied)” 14.3 million homes 4. “ER, (tied)” 14.3 million homes 5. “American Idol-Tuesday,” 13.7 million homes 6. “Joe Millionaire,” 12.1 million homes 7. “CSI: Miami,” 11.2 million homes 8. “Everybody Loves Raymond, (tied)” 11.1 million homes 9. “Scrubs, (tied)” 11.1 million homes 10. “Without a Trace,” 10.8 million homes. How do they determine the ratings? Does your cable box actually send a signal back to your cable company telling them what you are watching? I dont see how privacy acts would allow that. I dont think they use poll, because it would be insanely inaccurate. I dunno if you know please let me know I am curious ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/2 "2003-02-05T17:28:52Z")
I’ve been wondering about this too… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/3 "2003-02-05T17:33:14Z")
I \think\ [SIZE=1]and don’t quote me on this[/SIZE] that a certain number of selected people have a box attached to their TV, which is monitored. Each one box represents about 1000 or so people. They get the figures from that. Allegedly. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/4 "2003-02-05T17:41:52Z")
I belive Kitiara has hit the nail on the head 🙂 They have a ton of people with them and then they just average out the ratings. Thing is - I have never met anyone with one of those boxes… or maybe I have and it just hasnt come up in coversation - I just dont know 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/5 "2003-02-05T17:42:37Z")
I do belive Kit is right. They are called Neilson familys. I think you get free cable if you alow them to moniter your tv. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/6 "2003-02-05T17:44:21Z")
hmmm…thats interesting Do these people know that thier television habbits are being recorded? I dont think I like the idea of my tesevison being monitored. I hope I am not the 1 out of 1000 I do like the idea of free cable ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/7 "2003-02-05T17:45:28Z")
Yep they know they are being moniterd. They sign up for it. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/8 "2003-02-05T22:14:35Z")
Yeah, I always wondered that as well - guess I learned something new as well! :q: ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/9 "2003-02-05T22:37:40Z")
> \*Originally posted by kirupa \* > \*\*Yeah, I always wondered that as well - guess I learned something new as well! :q: \*\* yay!! a first for the random section!!! w000t!!! i hate these stupid reality tv shows, HATE HATE HATE ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/television-ratings-stumped/12877/10 "2003-02-05T22:49:28Z")
> \*Originally posted by Makaveli \* > \*\*i hate these stupid reality tv shows, HATE HATE HATE \*\* I second that motion, I hate them SOOOOOOOOOOO much. They make me sick