COM 130 and COM 327 students, in class we often discuss the changing media landscape in regards to how advertisers are trying to target you, and how networks are trying to see if you are watching. This article from AdAge.com discusses what some broadcasters are theorizing could be the future of audience marketing techniques and measurement. How do they know who is watching what program on television, or online, and are the commercials working to sell products?
Take 10 minutes and read the article. Leave your thoughts to these questions below by Wednesday at 1:00p.m for 10 points. This is not extra credit. Students who have me in both classes will earn 10 points for each course.
Questions to ponder:
Hearing what the professionals have to say about the problems and solutions to audience measurement, what do you think about how they are trying to solve the issue? Which part of the article to you agree or disagree with the most?
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18 comments:
Dvr is extremely popular and I agree that most people won't watch on the "network's timetable." People are so busy and sitting through a ton of ads takes away from the show's suspense. Bloxham mentioned that they can't judge numbers by who is watching because some will watch the show live and on-line. I would think they would have figured this all out as soon as technology developed. They definitely need an up-to-date technique and hand held devices aren't going to cut it-they're inaccurate and not everyone uses them honestly. Creating ads specifically for niche audiences would be a better idea because they wouldn't be wasting time and money. They say it's expensive yet I would think they would pay for results. Goldstein says he's "comfortable," but I think he's at a loss to what to really do. If he wants numbers, I'd start thinking of new ideas and develop the industry. His attitude isn't going to achieve his goal.
I just recently starting using my DVR to record my favorite television shows. Being so busy with school, work, an internship and trying to have a life...I think I can speak for everyone in saying, who has time for commericals and ads? Most of the time I notice that when I record something and watch it later, I can get through the entire show in half the time by cutting out the commericals!
As far as the article goes...I'd start thinking of new ideas! I agree with Tina when she points out that Goldstein says he's "comfortable", but really hes just at a loss! Technology is always evolving and developing the industry with new fresh ideas is the only way to go.
It just makes life easier. Like we talked about before in class, our generation is all about forming technology to make our lives more simplistic and convenient. Knowing that you can just go online pretty much anywhere and catch up on your favorite episodes makes day-to-day life a bit easier on us. With the luxury of having DVR and technology such as this, TV has never been so "unpopular." In class we talk about the golden age of TV and how it stole radio's spotlight, and when you think about it, DVR and the internet is doing just that today, it's stealing the TVs main purpose -- for viewing WHEN the actual shows are aired, not on our own time or out of convenience. When people do this, they can't tell how many people are watching and so ratings get thrown off. It's kind of funny because I would've thought that with all new technology that's we're constantly on the brink of, I assume they would've figured out a new way of going about measuring viewing. But I'm sure one day they'll figure it out, it's just a matter of time. As of now, I don't have Tivo or anything like that, so I can't exactly speak first-hand on the issue. Actually me and my roommate don't even have a TV in our room and while most people would ask, "Wow, how do you survive?!" it's really not that bad. I don't even miss it. I spend too much time on my phone and computer. But if I did watch TV then I'd probably be like most others and watch the episodes online, some you can even find on Youtube I'm sure, or invest in a DVR of some sort.
Honestly, I hate ads and commercials. They take away from the show and the mood it sets for someone. If I'm watching a horror story and it's really putting you on the edge, we don't want a commerical. Do companies honestly expect us to sit and watch it? Hello, commericial breaks are just an excuse to use the restroom or get a snack.For me they are. By the time the show comes back on, I have to get back into the plot.
DVR is quite poplular and useful. We are so busy with school, work, and reality, we don't have time to watch 30 minutes of commericals. Besides, who wants to watch commericals right now? Every two seconds it's a political ad.
If companies are worried about the TV going out of style, then they need another look around. Sure it's golden age will be over, but look at radio. Everyone still listens to the radio. What are they going to do? Make everyone through out their computers and DVRs? NO, they need to sit back and stop whining,if you don't like it, make something better.
DVR is one of the greatest things on this planet. My dad can be watching somthing and see somthing I would like and then tape it for me. Over the summer I was in California and I didn't get a ESPN-U and there was a special on the Lindenwood Shooting team that I wanted to watch, so I told my folks and they recorded it on their DVR so I could watch it when I returned in two months. The commercials didn't mean a thing to me then because I had watched it so late. I would of fast forwarded thru them anyways. Advertisers are going to have to figure out a new way to advertise because with the growth of the DVR, it makes it so easy to just skip the commercials. Therefore no one is watching them and these companies aren't making any money. However, this would mean no more t.v. since that is how stations are supported, unless some how a new tax gets created that helps pay for all the channels/stations.
It seems that people will never change, for they are greedy with their time. All we seem to want is more of what we want when we want, and it is affecting our economy drastically. In the article it states that more people are skipping the comercials which means that the adevertisments are not being seen. I agree that something is going to need to be done in order for television to stay the same way it is right now; however, I don't know that it should stay the same. I think there needs to be a new form of television if it is to survive, just like radio did a few decades ago. I have to admit that I skip every commercial if at all possible, so in order for the advertising industry to impact me they need to come up with a new way to catch my attention.
Unlike many, my husband and I are forced to watch the programs we love on the "network's timetable", because we cannot afford a DVR. With that said the shows we watch for the most part are not programs being aired for the first time, but are reruns, with the exception of his sports. Even if they did have a more interactive way to watch television I do not think we would buy it just because we are content with the remote/TV combination. As far as who the viewers are and how many there are, there is really no exact way of telling and as far as commercials go, if the viewers are anything like me, when the commercials are on they are just flipping through the channels to have something fill that time in between commercials.
With today's new technologies such as Dvr and websites with t.v. programs you can watch, it takes away from television. Our generation is anxious and does not want to sit through various commercials when watching their favorite shows, so we resort to much faster viewing ways. I however don't have Tivo and so I don't know much about it but I do agree that most people won't watch on the "network's timetable." I didn't even have satalite in my house until I was around 16 years old...it just costs more money. I don't mind sitting through commercials and would not spend extra money for Tivo. Overall, advertisers are going to have to find a new way to advertise and quick because with today's upcoming technologies and with people being on the clock and counting their time, they are going to lose money.
From what I gathered from the article is that it is hard for them to really know who is watching the TV show on TV, Internet or through devices like DVR. Commericals are always working to sell products but one debate the article brought up was, Should advertisers be able to pay different prices for different kinds of viewing audiences? The conclusion they came to is that we currently lack the technology to keep track of people if they watch a TV show on TV and then download it again through itunes, was an example they used. Also, because of the economic uncertainty in our country it is hard to make big changes and spend more money. The safe route is to continue what you have done in the past.
I think they are trying to figure out how to reach the audience. What needs to be done, is the question. I think the idea of monitoring viewer behavior over a long period of time and keeping track of consumption content in order to know when an ad makes an impression would help advertisers with sales. However, from a consumer stand point it feels a little invasive.
As a viewer, I personally watch episodes of my favorite shows online because it fits my schedule better. If I'm doing it, then others must be. Watching shows online and using a Dvr to record are really convenient ways to see what you want to, when you want to. Sure, you get to skip through the commercials, but on Abc.com they show a 30 second ad. What else are you going to do with 30 seconds? It is not enough time to get up and get a snack and you can't exactly change the channel. As a viewer you are made to sit thought those 30 seconds to await the return of your programming and might as well watch the Clorox ad.
This seems to be an effective method for the time being, but is not a solvent for the issue of regular t.v. advertising. People are just not as into sitting down during prime time as they used to be. This is going to be a major problem for networks and their advertisers in the future. But who is it going to end up costing? The networks because they lose advertisers or the viewers because they are forced to pay a premium for "interavtive t.v."?
The problem: who is watching when are they watching, and how are they watching.
The answer: They do not really know
Disney/ABC developed the live-plus-seven-day metric.
NBC Universal developed Total Audience Measurement Index [TAMI].
Both are developed to measure its multi-venue viewership.
These new methods must be developed quickly because internet television viewership is increasing dramatically.
I believe NBC Universals TAMI method will grow into the modern multi-venue viewership measurement system.
The difficult part is determining multiple views via different media vehicles. This will be the difficult measurement.
All this measurement is done as a pricing matrix for advertising.
The key to advertisers is what viewers do once they see a marketers ads. The DVR and internet viewers are skewing the price matrices. Now it is no longer when, but how are they watching.
The viewers who watch on traditional T.V. on NBC's time-table are not the problem, but rather the DVR user who skips ads. This is a problem for advertisers who rely on television advertising. No longer can they believe that the viewer is even seeing their ads.
The internet viewers bring about another question. Are TV and internet viewers duplicates? This will determine price matrices depending on if the answer is no. If they are not duplicates then the Itunes internet viewer is not even seeing the advertisement.
I was most interested and agree the most with is interactive TV. I believe this is the future of television. The convergence of media and technology are making it easy for the "smart TV" of the future. Basically a modern television with computer capabilities. TiVo but much better for advertisers. The modern TV that is interactive will track viewership to the second, and will determine actual viewership of advertisements by tracking eye movement.
This new version of television program consumption is exciting and on its way thanks to Tivo, iTunes, and HULU, and many many others.
I believe advertisers will simply adapt by using product placement to the extreme as fewer and fewer viewers see their produced-for-TV ads. In this ultra-modern world that we live and consume in I see radio and television of old making a comeback. I mean that we will see entire shows sponsored by a single corporate backer.
Welcome back Colgate's comedy hour.
For some reason, I'm really old fashioned when it comes to new TV technology. When DVD players first came out, I was able to get one, but instead I chose a VCR, why? I have no idea and I later regretted it. But, I am very content with how television is ran now. Yes, It is very annoying when you're in the middle of something really intense, but life goes on. Sometimes it's nice to be able to have a quick break to get up and do something every once and a while. I'm interested in using a DVR, but honestly I don't have a lot of time to watch television so I don't know how much use I would get out of it.
I agree with Sara. I use my DVR to record shows that I enjoy that might play during a baseball game or something like that. Or even movies i see i like, ill record them and then can go back and watch them when ever i have the time. Does this mean that i skip through the commercials more often...yea, but do my spending habbits change, no.
New technology leads to new ideas of advertising. Its all about how you decide to get it....
I'll say one thing: it makes me glad I'm not going into advertising.
It's a crazy age for media, and for someone who has never paid the industry any mind until this semester to be saying that...it must be extreme.
Whatever Nielsen says it what will be taken as true, so really it's all on them. I personally don't think online views or Tivo recordings should count towards ratings, because a) online videos have their own ads (you don't get commercial breaks with 7 ads online) and b) who records something to their DVR and actually watches the commercials? I mean c'mon.
I think advertisers need to suck it up and stop complaining. Obviously the new market isn't allowing their old ways to function as effectively, so let's see some innovation! Honestly, I think I'll have fun watching this industry, but I'm not sure I'd want to be the future of it.
Ok let's be honest...who likes commercials? I don't! I have to agree with everyone else that commercials are a waste of my time and I never really watch them. When commericals come on, I usually change the channel and watch something else until commercials are over and so back and forth. Unfortunately, I don't have a DVR but I plan on talking to my parents about getting one when I go home. We are all very busy all the time and having a way to record all my favorite shows and watch them whenever I want to would be awesome! And no more commercials?!? even better!!
As far as the article goes, I believe that advertisers need to search for new methods to advertise and create something better to get the audience's attention because right now it is just not working.
I think because of the birth of DVR advertising will be found more in the what shows we watch. Some advertising people have figured out that people just skip commercials to get to the good stuff. That's why now their same adds are found in movie theaters. They make you watch it! And they know you will be watching the ads because you're not going to walk out of the theatre just so you can avoid the ad.
But Goldstein is dumb! It's a new age and it calls for change. Ya things these days are expensive and new ways of advertising are hard to come up with but it'll pay off eventually. It has to.
I love DVR I never have time to sit down on for the entirety of a show with the commercials every week in the time slot they have provided for it. College is so busy, with DVR you can watch the show in between classes or at night while making or just eating dinner and it's quick. We actually always sit down and watch Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, 90210, and One Tree Hill as a house on thursdays after class and start our homework. The routine is that we start the show and when it goes to commercial we fast forward on the slower speed do a little on the homework and then when the show comes back on we start watching again. It makes it easier also though because if you need to leave the house during a show whenever you have time to go back and watch the show again you can just pick right back off where you left at. I think that it is almost better for the Series because you can always stay up to date on the show and where its at. Most people loose interest in a show when they can not follow what is going on in it. By keeping up to date with DVR you can always be updated.
Awesome job with the comments! Now I know who is actually keeping up with this blog! Ten points for everyone above this comment!
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