Quote Originally Posted by Argofan_1000 View Post
remember Numeris numbers are an estimate. It is a sampling for overnight data. They use the people meters to try to come up with viewing numbers for overnight data. There is a sound the meter picks up from the TV. Turn the vol down or off and still watch? You are not included if the meter can not pickup the tone.

The numbers we see published are continuous viewers. If you leave the room or switch channels and then return you will not be included in the overnight ratings but will be included in total reach numbers, something that isn't posted. If you have to use the bathroom, well you have taken away how much the CFL will get for TV revenue, so please keep a bed pan beside you. There are far more people watching if the overnight numbers are saying 500-600K. J.M. story- the quality of the game affected those numbers and also in the U.S. There are also areas of Canada that is not covered very well with the people meters so the data is an estimate. Numeris has said that sports is the most difficult to determine and I believe them. For most TV shows it doesn't matter - for sports it matters. The league and TSN should push to see the distribution of the meters. Again this is statistics and the distribution must be done fairly to get good results from a small sample size.
Numeris has its own web site to explain everything. Haven't looked at it in a long time but at one time it explains how they measure
But Numeris also sends out the diaries, we did one a few years ago and everyone in the household over 5 years old completes it for a week and mails it back. They also do the over the phone surveys
They also started measuring recorded programs on DVRs a couple of years ago because a lot of people record their sports and fast forward the ads etc, there were a lot of ratings missed. Your bathroom break wouldn't apply to the DVR'd games.
And don't forget that people have multiple TVs in a home. We had 3 TVs and I could be watching a CFL game and my wife in another room watching her programs and my daughter watching her teen programs. My wife and daughter both like the Jays and they watch the, so if going head to head against the CFL our household would show 2 Jays to 1 CFL.

I would disagree with you about the bathroom etc, it's about people watching more than a few minutes and not turning the channel.
You can go on to Numeris and see the actual numbers published for the week, it takes at least 2 weeks to compile the meters, diaries etc and they are not far off the overnight estimates. If you think that the CFL numbers should be higher than it would be the same for the other sports too, like the Jays on sportsnet.
I believer they have everything covered and they are pretty accurate and it's not just about one person in a home using a meter, there is more to it than that.