Ten days ago (or so) I posted about how Nielsen Media Research was finally going to start monitoring college dorm rooms. I found this news amazing as I was under the impression that kids in dorm room actually liked watching television. But what do I know? I don’t work for Nielsen Media Research.
Well the first wave of numbers are in, and guess what? The ratings for several “on the bubble” shows 50% increase in viewers in the 18-24 demographic. Obviously this is great news, but its also like trying to treat a severed limb with a band-aid. The television ratings system is so arcane and inaccurate its frightening that these numbers are affecting board room decisions.
I have an interesting solution to the problem. The idea initially came to me while reading the cover story in this week’s New York Magazine. It’s about the new generation gap that exists between those people who are just older than me and those who are just younger than me and their desire or lack of desire for privacy. Basically, the average plugged-in high school student is blogging their life and posting Flickr streams and a are, in a way, archiving their existence. Privacy isn’t a concern.
I understand this lifestyle and embrace it. Some would argue that the more personal information you give out the more advertisers will try to target you. Well, good. We’re going to be slammed by advertising one way or another, so why not have it targeted.
Here’s an example. Last.fm allows users to track everything they play through their iTunes and then creates a personalized radio station based on the types of songs of which you like to listen. This could be perceived of as being kind of creepy, and that’s really the whole point of the NYMag piece. Those who use technology like this get it, love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. Those who don’t see it as a breech of privacy.
Well, what if you could voluntarily have your cable box or computer logged by Nielsen in exchange for, say, a break on your broadband bill? I’d imagine they’d end up with a pretty decent sample size (and one obviously comprised of those viewers who are more likely to watch content away from the typical appointment television framework.
The problem, as I see it, is in trying to collect data from people who don’t want to give it up. Web 2.0 works* because the users are submitting the content, and those who are submitting the most content are reaping the biggest rewards. In the world of television, those people who allow their patterns to be tracked could be rewarded with higher ratings for their favorite shows (even if the country, as a whole isn’t watching those shows). Shouldn’t the people who are giving the data, the people who are basically saying, “Find a better way to advertise to me,” be the ones who control what is actually ON television?
I’m ready to sign up.
Web 2.0 might not actually work
NPH: Evil Mastermind… or is he?
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