TV Ratings

A quick way to determine the most popular TV shows among a certain type of viewers (let's say those who are computer enthusiasts) is to use the number of BitTorrent dowloads within a particular time frame. Take the following sample from the last 14 days:

• Lost: 95K
• 24: 75K
• South Park: 70K
• Alias: 47K
• Desperate housewives: 45K
• The O.C.: 45K
• The Office: 40K

Although statistically correct (considering the volume of downloads keeps growing at a fast pace), this way of calculating TV ratings is probably biased because it is to be expected that the sort of "audience" that would go through the trouble of downloading the shows instead of watching them on their TV set will have very particular preferences (in part the reason I'm shocked Desperate Housewives is doing so well!).

Considering that all the data gathered by Nielsen Media is copyrighted, this may be not a bad rating mechanism after all. It may be even pose an attractive solution for Nielsen to keep control of their kingdom and a logical next step to their ventures into the digital world.

It kind of reminds me of the TV show Max Headroom in which the always-evil Network XXIII would continuously obsess about their ratings by watching a digital chart as their renegade reporter made surprise appearances.

According to Wired Magazine, instant ratings may not be at the top of the wish-list for the marketing industry as it has grown used to the current status-quo.