# We're A Nielsen Family! So what should I watch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2004, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399 "2004-01-28T07:18:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/21 "2004-01-29T20:29:29Z")
> [@Bruce\_Daddy](#): > > Tell them you watch Bodyshaping. It’s a fitness show on ESPN but it comes on at 5am which means the only time I see it is during bouts of insomnia. > > You see, I have an unhealthy obsession with one Jennifer Dempster. Hey! I work out to them every day for 45 minutes! Jennifer is a doll (although the lecherous muscle-man could tone the drooling down a bit). It comes on at 4:00 in Chicago. I LOVE IT! You are a very normal viewer in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/22 "2004-01-29T21:28:15Z")
Watch PBS! All the time, day and night. Leave the TV on. Or hell, just write down in the logbook that you’re watching PBS all the time - they’ll never know the difference! Save PBS! Viva la Public Broadcast! ---
**Author:** ![Spurious\_George](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Spurious\_George](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spurious_George)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/23 "2004-01-30T00:11:26Z")
> [@rdm](#): > > Watch Arrested Development, 9:30 pm EST on Fox Sunday nights. It’s hilarious and needs to stay on TV. I’ve got to third (fourth?) this suggestion. It’s the best new show this year, and it could use your help. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/24 "2004-01-30T00:34:48Z")
> [@LunaSea](#): > > Angel! It’s on WB wednesday at 9pm. [mini hijack rant] except for my insane cable company which has it on the same channel as UPN Saturdays at 7, switched from Wednesday at 11:00 or something horrible like that. [/end hijack end rant] -Lil ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/25 "2004-01-30T01:02:06Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > A few weeks ago we got a call asking if we wanted to be a Nielsen family. We got the log book yesterday. So, Dopers, how can I distort the television industry? Whoa – hold on there. Last time I checked, Nielsen families were **not allowed** to tell people that they were Nielsen families. The Nielsen Corp. will drop you like a hot potato if they find out. They **don’t** want people who go around asking their friends what shows they should watch for the sake of giving them an artificial ratings boost. ---
**Author:** ![Rainbowthief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/26 "2004-01-30T08:29:37Z")
Please watch Enterprise and Survivor! ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/27 "2004-01-30T16:08:58Z")
[Home Movies](http://www.adultswim.com/shows/homemovies/index.html) is an incredible show that gets overlooked way too much. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/28 "2004-01-30T17:59:11Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Whoa – hold on there. > > Last time I checked, Nielsen families were **not allowed** to tell people that they were Nielsen families. The Nielsen Corp. will drop you like a hot potato if they find out. They **don’t** want people who go around asking their friends what shows they should watch for the sake of giving them an artificial ratings boost. From [Nielsen Media Research](http://www.nielsenmedia.com/FAQ/nielsen_families.html) themselves: **Why haven’t I ever met a “Nielsen family”?** Actually, you may have. There are hundreds of thousands of “Nielsen families”, including diary and metered households. We ask our households not to reveal they are in the Nielsen Media Research panel. This protects their privacy and helps ensure the integrity of the panel. In the few cases where homes have revealed their NielsenTV status, we removed them from the metered panels or disregarded their diaries. Isn’t there a non-disclosure agreement sent along with the diary? ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/29 "2004-01-30T19:10:58Z")
I was asked to be a Nielson diary keeper once, about 2 months before the actual week they wanted me to record. Unfortunately, between the time they asked me and the week in question I ended up being diagnosed with a pretty serious liver ailment, had several biopsies, a liver resection, and couldn’t concentrate enough to even watch TV upon my return home from the hospital. :eek: (came home during the week I was supposed to record my watching.) So, I returned the diaries in the pre-paid envelope but kept the $7 “bonus” they gave me as incentive to be serious about it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/30 "2004-01-30T19:39:17Z")
We did the one week diary thing as well. They paid us $10. We filled it in, but since I really only like Simpsons, Futurama and the family guy, and my wife likes some foreign language programming, and the Daily Show, I don’t think we are what they were lokking for. ---
**Author:** ![Cosmopolitan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@Cosmopolitan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cosmopolitan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/31 "2004-01-30T19:44:04Z")
I think you oughta watch _Keen Eddie_ on Bravo (even though it was canned by Fox - think of it as ‘protest viewing’) & _Mythbusters_. Discovery & TLC are also good channels. ---
**Author:** ![wuzupgirll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3bc359/32.png) [@wuzupgirll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wuzupgirll)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/32 "2004-01-30T19:58:23Z")
> [@rdm](#): > > Watch Arrested Development, 9:30 pm EST on Fox Sunday nights. It’s hilarious and needs to stay on TV. I love Arrested Development! its sooo funny. Scrubs on NBC is really good, too, although its showtimes are always really unpredictable. its either on tuesdays or thursdays, 830 to 9 or sometime around there. ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/33 "2004-01-30T22:39:48Z")
I’m happy to see so many voting for Arrested Development. I love this show and I can’t believe that it seems in danger of being yanked at any minute. Please please watch it. ---
**Author:** ![toomuchtv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@toomuchtv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toomuchtv)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/34 "2004-01-31T01:02:35Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > In no particular order: > Alias… > et. al. Uh… DMark, are you trapped in my couch? You just listed my TV diet for an average week. Of course, you didn’t include Celebrity Poker, but I guess you gotta sleep sometime. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/35 "2004-01-31T01:51:11Z")
NO REALITY TV, I REPEAT, DON’T WATCH ONE IOTA OF THAT GARBAGE!!! Thanks. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/36 "2004-01-31T02:12:08Z")
$10??? I only got ONE MEASLY BUCK for the weekly diary thing a few years ago. It wasn’t hard, because I was out of town for all but two days. I called them to find out if I should even bother since I was going to be gone (this was July, not exactly a high ratings time anyway) and they said to write down that I was out of town on the days I was gone. So I did. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/37 "2004-01-31T02:29:59Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > $10??? I only got ONE MEASLY BUCK for the weekly diary thing a few years ago. It wasn’t hard, because I was out of town for all but two days. I called them to find out if I should even bother since I was going to be gone (this was July, not exactly a high ratings time anyway) and they said to write down that I was out of town on the days I was gone. So I did. I got $1 too, so don’t feel bad. The instructions I got do say that if you are away, write it down, since they are interested in who is watching, and a certain percentage of people are not around. Well, I get to put down the lates MST3K - assuming it comes on my dish. And the Daily show. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/38 "2004-01-31T04:37:40Z")
Maybe you get more money if you live in a big city or something. At the time, I lived in a glorified large town – sure, people, call it a city, but it sure doesn’t seem like one to me! I can’t think of any recommendations, but MST3K is normally a solid choice. I didn’t think they’d keep rerunning the SciFi episodes forever, but it does feel a bit like the end of an era. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/39 "2004-01-31T06:20:35Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Whoa – hold on there. > > Last time I checked, Nielsen families were **not allowed** to tell people that they were Nielsen families. The Nielsen Corp. will drop you like a hot potato if they find out. Bearing this in mind, make sure they don’t find out. > [@tracer](#): > > They **don’t** want people who go around asking their friends what shows they should watch for the sake of giving them an artificial ratings boost. What they want or don’t want needs to be irrelevant. They are a crucial element of the decision-making process that has given the world a second season of “The Bachelor,” two seasons of “The Bachelorette,” three seasons of “American Idol,” “American Juniors,” and the list goes on. A little subverting would be very good for it. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399/40 "2004-01-31T08:09:56Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Whoa – hold on there. > > Last time I checked, Nielsen families were **not allowed** to tell people that they were Nielsen families. The Nielsen Corp. will drop you like a hot potato if they find out. They **don’t** want people who go around asking their friends what shows they should watch for the sake of giving them an artificial ratings boost. Actually, before I posted I checked the thing they mailed me, and there was no mention at all of not telling anyone. (If I was permanent, with a box, it might be different.) Though to tell the truth, I haven’t seen anything here I wanted to boost in the ratings. Looking carefully through the listings, I find that my previous conclusion holds - 100 channels and nothing but the Daily Show on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-a-nielsen-family-so-what-should-i-watch/226399.md?page=3)