Freezing out Fox News. Hmmm . . . I wonder if Kerry should do this, too.

[beachmom]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/2/21/125431/158

Apparently, the Nevada Democrats have scheduled a presidential debate partnered with Fox News. People are mad, and I have to say I like this idea of a full out boycott of Fox News by Democrats. I mean, look at Andrewsullivan.com -- before I stopped reading him, it became obvious that he was on purpose trying to increase traffic by catering to both audiences. Although Fox is always RW skewed, there are a lot of Democrats who make appearances on it, which would obviously attract Dems to tune in. I admit that when Kerry appears on Fox (I think his last appearance was in November of last year with Chris Wallace), I programmed my DVR and watched it. So if Democrats "just say no", this will continue the ratings slide and frankly, hurt Fox News's bottom line. The only people I know who watch Fox News regularly are bonafide right wing Republicans who will never, ever, ever vote Democratic. But let's face it, it's more interesting when a Democrat appears on any of their shows. So if they stop doing that, it could hurt them badly. And there are two other cable channels where they can appear -- it's not like this is a monopoly or anything.

Regardless of what Sen. Kerry does in the future, I think I have decided I'll skip watching any of his appearances on Fox News or the Sunday Fox show. I'm hoping he decides to stay away from them, too. CNN, MSNBC and the networks are plenty.

P.S. -- didn't he kick Fox News off the plane at the end of the campaign because of that reporter making up a story about him?

[TayTay]

Ahm, I didn't watch the interview on Fox

I just don't watch Fox. If the debate is on Fox, I ain't watching it. They are anything but Fair and Balanced and I don't trust them on anything.

[beachmom]

2. Believe me, you were better off not watching it.

It was really awful. Beyond awful. I'm in your camp now, and refuse to watch that channel even if a Democrat I like is on.

[TayTay]

1. software hiccup

Duplicate

[rox63]

3. You can always catch the video of the interviews later on JK's web site

And that won't do anything to help Faux Spews' bottom line.

[emulatorloo]

4. Unless you are a Nielsen family you can watch Fox 24/7 without affecting their bottom line

(not that we ever would want to do that for our sanity!) (and the jk website is wayyyyyy better)

What you and I watch doesn't really affect the "ratings" --

That's all put together by the Nielsen corporation. . .They basically have a sampling of households they work with. Those households report what they watch, Nielsen runs a bunch of numbers and then you get the ratings.

So what you and I watch doesn't affect the ratings at all since we aren't in Nielsen households. (Well at least I'm not -- I got an invitation once to be a nielsen household, but didn't send the final paperwork back because I got too lazy)

Oh well, wikipedia explains it better than me:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_Ratings

<snip<

Nielsen Television Ratings are gathered by one of two ways; by extensive use of surveys, where viewers of various demographics are asked to keep a written record (called a diary) of the television programming they watch throughout the day and evening, or by the use of Set Meters, which are small devices connected to every television in selected homes. These devices gather the viewing habits of the home and transmit the information nightly to Nielsen through a "Home Unit" connected to a phone line. Set Meter information allows market researchers to study television viewing habits on a minute to minute basis, seeing the exact moment viewers change channels or turn off their TV. In addition to this technology, the implementation of individual viewer reporting devices (called People meters) allow the company to separate household viewing information into various demographic groups. In 2005, Nielsen began measuring the usage of digital video recordings (TiVo, for example) and initial results indicate that time-shifted viewing will have a significant impact on television ratings.

<snip>

[Noisy Democrat]

6. I've heard they're now factoring in all Tivo users

It may just be an urban legend, but in any case, it would be technologically possible -- even easy -- to access data about how people's Tivos have been programmed, and I had heard that they were factoring that into ratings.

Come to think of it, there's evidence that it's not just a legend, because, for example, it was widely reported that Janet Jackson's nipple shot was the most-rewatched thing on Tivo that year. So the Tivo company *is* gathering data.

[emulatorloo]

7. I have a Tivo and I was specifically contacted by Nielsen -- would not collect data w/o my signature

Basically there was an announcement in the Tivo message area that said if you want to be a TIvo Nielsen Household, contact Nielsen.

Nielsen then sent me paperwork, which included a survey and a "contract" that I had to sign saying it was ok with me to collect my data for the Nielsen ratings.

In otherwords, my signature was required. I had to sign and return paperwork to become a Nielsen household. (I was too lazy to do)

So, at least from my experience, I think you do actually have to sign up w Nielsen to have your Tivo data count in the Nielsen ratings.

OTOH Tivo is pretty upfront that they do collect data for inhouse use, but that it 1) is generalized (in otherwords they don't attach your name to it and 2) it is used for Tivo's own marketing purposes.

They are vague as to what those "marketing purposes" are, but it you have a Tivo, you know that there is a section of the menu where you can watch ads that Tivo has sold -- for example, infomercials for new movies, car commercials, Sony DV-cam, etc etc.

So I don't think Tivo is selling the data that they collect to Nielsen.

[wisteria]

5. My opinion is Democrats who appear on Fox are trying to reach watchers

who might otherwise not hear the correct message and may be trying to appeal and reach out to others who may not share or understand their POV.Fox is not fair and balanced, but if appearing on some of the programs may be beneficial. Hannity definately excluded. IMO.

[emulatorloo]

8. Kerry has been on Hannity, but Colmes interviewed him (I think Hannity was tooo scared)

of what the big bad Senator might do to his squeaky little ignorant self)

[wisteria]

9. Senator Kerry is to good for that low life Hannity. Colmes is to out numbered to be effective. n/t