Is there a flaw with the RTE Ratings?

actuallylike

Hi, apologies if this has been brought up before but couldn't find much mention about it in the search.

Why is it that the ratings for RTE 1 and 2 always show that RTE 1 has a much, much larger viewing figure? I know that obviously more people watch it but the difference is huge!
RTE1

RTE2


Does Winning Streak and Eastenders really pull more viewrs than rugby? (Does Desperate Housewives for that matter?!?:eek:)
Every week, there's always a huge discrepancy between the two, number 1 on RTE2 rarely makes it onto RTE1's top ten.

jhegarty

Would have expected better from Lost , especially as they have it before Sky.

randypriest

Katherine Lynch! What the Fuck! :mad:

Minstrel27

The same happens in the UK. BBC1 and ITV have much higher viewing figures than BBC2 and Channel 4.

If a show moves from BBC2 to BBC1 it gets bigger ratings.

I find it all very odd.

Mike 1972

Minstrel27 wrote: »

If a show moves from BBC2 to BBC1 it gets bigger ratings.
I find it all very odd.

A lot of people habitually flick between BBC1/UTV/RTE1 first only going to RTE2/BBC2/Channel 4 if they dont see anything on the first three

Maybe its a preference for older established channels although Ive seen it in people who were born after RTE2 or even Channel 4 started.

Personally I wouldnt watch any of the top 10 programmes from either channel

Minstrel27

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Personally I wouldnt watch any of the top 10 programmes from either channel

Aye. From the top 10 on both channels I would watch the rugby but that's it.

Pat Gleeson

actuallylike wrote: »

Why is it that the ratings for RTE 1 and 2 always show that RTE 1 has a much, much larger viewing figure? I know that obviously more people watch it but the difference is huge!

I rememeber looking at the - then called - TAM* ratings for the first few months of RTE 2 in the late 70's. The differences then were even bigger. With very few exceptions, a top rated RTE 2 show never rated anywhere near an RTE 1 show.

* Targeted Audience Measurement (?)

Mike 1972

Could be partially explained by
1) not everyone having RTE2 in its early days (parts of Donegal, Wicklow and a few other places didnt have it initially)
2) Most TV's not having remote control coupled with earlier start for RTE1
3) Early RTE2 consisting largely of UK programmes with half the country watching these on BBC/ITV as before

I thought it was Television Audience Measurement

Pat Gleeson

Mike 1972 wrote: »

I thought it was Television Audience Measurement (

Yep, could very well be

Elmo

RTÉ Two is currently in its most watch season from Jan to around Sept due to sports but also due to their new US shows. However when you take a look outside of Sport and New US programmes RTÉ Two only has from 130,000 to 200,000 viewers for their top ten which generally consists of Home and Away and The Simpsons.

RTÉ One on the other had has pretty much the same audience year round with their top twenty having from 400,000 viewers to 600,000 viewers.

TV3's Top 10 consist mainly of Coro St and Emmers, its top ten getting from 200,000 viewers to around 500,000 viewers its top twenty starting at around 130,000 viewers. TV3's biggest's audiences are found from Sept to Dec for The Apprentice and X-Factor and other reality shows peaking at around 600,000 viewers.

Katherine Lynch is supported by Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy on Tuesday night. TBH I would rather watch Katherine Lynch, at least its Irish :rolleyes:

Elmo

Top 20 Programmes

(Weekending 28/02/2010)

RTE 1
No. Programme Day TVR 000's M/C
Rank
Adults
1 The Late Late Show Fri 21 714 1
2 Fair City Tue 17 592 2
3 The All Ireland Talent Show Results Sun 17 578 5
4 EastEnders Mon 16 563 3
5 The Frontline Mon 16 553 6
6 EastEnders Tue 16 551 4
7 Fair City Sun 15 503 10
8 EastEnders Thu 15 501 8
9 EastEnders Wed 14 492 7
10 Winning Streak Sat 14 481 14
11 The All Ireland Talent Show Sun 14 468 12
12 Prime Time Thu 14 465 9
13 Operation Transformation Wed 13 455 11
14 Ear To The Ground Tue 13 446 13
15 Fair City Thu 13 444 19
16 Prime Time Tue 12 420 16
17 Nationwide Mon 12 416 15
18 No Frontiers Sun 12 416 18
19 The Dealers Tue 12 414 20
20 The Saturday Night Show Sat 11 388 23



RTE 2
No. Programme Day TVR 000's M/C
Rank
Adults
1 Six Nations Rugby Sat 16 563 1
2 Desperate Housewives Tue 13 434 2
3 Six Nations Fri 7 243 3
4 Grey's Anatomy Tue 7 228 4
5 Champions League Live Wed 6 202 5
6 Home And Away Wed 5 186 6
7 The Podge And Rodge Show Tue 5 180 7
8 Home And Away Mon 5 178 8
9 Home And Away Tue 5 164 10
10 McBride's Invincibles Sat 5 162 18
11 Home And Away Fri 4 153 11
12 Lost Thu 4 151 12
13 Home And Away Thu 4 149 17
14 Six Nations Rugby Sat 4 144 15
15 Premier Soccer Saturday Sat 4 139 12
16 FILM: Layercake Sun 4 137 14
17 CSI Miami Thu 4 135 13
18 Naked Camera Thu 4 125 16
19 World's Worst Disasters Tue 4 121 23
20 The Republic of Telly Mon 4 121 20



TV3
No. Programme Day TVR 000's M/C
Rank
Adults
1 Coronation Street Mon 16 566 2
2 Coronation Street Mon 16 565 1
3 Coronation Street Fri 13 441 3
4 Coronation Street Thu 12 417 4
5 Emmerdale Mon 10 357 5
6 Coronation Street Fri 10 351 6
7 Emmerdale Fri 10 326 7
8 Emmerdale Tue 9 300 8
9 Emmerdale Thu 8 279 10
10 Emmerdale Thu 8 276 9
11 Emmerdale Wed 7 252 11
12 Dancing On Ice: The Skate Off Sun 6 220 13
13 Ireland's Crime Capitals Mon 6 200 12
14 Dancing On Ice Sun 5 175 14
15 Wild At Heart Sun 5 171 17
16 FILM: Mean Machine Thu 5 162 16
17 Glee Wed 5 161 15
18 Deal Or No Deal Fri 4 153 19
19 Nothing To Declare Mon 4 146 21
20 Deal Or No Deal Fri 4 142 22

TG4 Top 10

AINM NA gCLÁR |MÍLE |SCAIR
GAA Beo - Áth Cliath v Tiobraid Árann |98 |10.3
Geantraí | 86 |6.0
The Fugitive |82 |9.3
Valdez is Coming | 78 |4.8
Lorg Lunny| 69 |6.0
GAA Beo - Gaillimh v Port Láirge |67 |9.0
Empire of the Sun |59 |4.4
Ó Bhearna go Carna |57 |3.5
Céad Bliain den Chonnacht Tribune |56 |4.0
Feirm Factor| 50 |3.5

Mike 1972

Does anyone else find it a bit bizzare the way the audience for different episodes of the same programme (usually soaps) fluctuates quite a bit from night to night ?

The audience figures for the top soap on TV3 are rather high given that a lot of people dont have TV3 and the same programme goes out on ITV

Elmo

Mike 1972 wrote: »

The audience figures for the top soap on TV3 are rather high given that a lot of people dont have TV3 and the same programme goes out on ITV

More people don't have ITV or UTV than TV3. It is first on the list of channels on UPCs EPG and ITV/UTV isn't available handily on Sky.

Does anyone else find it a bit bizzare the way the audience for different episodes of the same programme (usually soaps) fluctuates quite a bit from night to night ?

I am guessing that soap audiences do not have to watch the show everynight. Emmerdale and Fair City go out at the same time on a Thursday Night.

JDxtra

They do seem a bit skewed in places. I mean 446,000 watching Ear to the Ground seems a bit hard to believe. Would love to know how much guesswork is put into these stats.

Minstrel27

JDxtra wrote: »

They do seem a bit skewed in places. I mean 446,000 watching Ear to the Ground seems a bit hard to believe. Would love to know how much guesswork is put into these stats.

It wouldn't surprise me. 8.30 and right before the news. What is shown at 8pm? Fair City?

Elmo

Minstrel27 wrote: »

It wouldn't surprise me. 8.30 and right before the news. What is shown at 8pm? Fair City?

Yeah its what they call hamockking:-

Hammocking is a technique used by broadcasters whereby an unpopular programme is scheduled between two popular ones in the hope that viewers will watch it. Public-service broadcasters use this as a way of promoting serious but valuable content. A strong show, followed by a weak show which then is followed by a strong show. This is especially used for new shows. Hammocking may lead to situations where even if programs remain weak, audience rating will be high.

zilog_jones

JDxtra wrote: »

Would love to know how much guesswork is put into these stats.

IIRC there are only like 1,000 people in the country sampled for ratings, or some similarly small amount.

Regarding the rugby - a lot of people go to pubs or other people's houses to watch these so it would be harder to get accurate ratings.

Elmo

zilog_jones wrote: »

IIRC there are only like 1,000 people in the country sampled for ratings, or some similarly small amount.

Regarding the rugby - a lot of people go to pubs or other people's houses to watch these so it would be harder to get accurate ratings.

1,000 is actually the point where you have a +3% to -3% margin of error. It is generally used for all statistics. Any more on the system doesn't change the margin of error.

What is required is that the 1,000 are distributed between 4 TV Land, Spillover Land, Sky Digital, UPC Analogue, UPC Digital and other (local cable and FTA Sat Land) in relation to the population of people that are on these platforms i.e. 13% in 4 TV land would have 130 boxes.

But you could suggest that each platform is given 1,000 households just to have realistic stats for their platforms. The overall national share would not change.

zilog_jones

Elmo wrote: »

What is required is that the 1,000 are distributed between 4 TV Land, Spillover Land, Sky Digital, UPC Analogue, UPC Digital and other (local cable and FTA Sat Land) in relation to the population of people that are on these platforms i.e. 13% in 4 TV land would have 130 boxes.

I doubt they are evenly distributed though. A significant proportion of people in 4 channel land would be students who don't pay the licence, never mind participating in ratings!

Elmo

zilog_jones wrote: »

I doubt they are evenly distributed though. A significant proportion of people in 4 channel land would be students who don't pay the licence, never mind participating in ratings!

I could not say what makes up the 13% of 4 TV land viewers. I don't think the ratings even take into account the number of second televisions that are in 4 TV Land.

The research is done on a household basis. Weather they give the research for all TVs in the household I am not sure. And this would change the stats again you would have to include households with multiple TVs all on different platforms.

I remember paying no cable, but being the good person paying the licence. But that wouldn't change the stats.

The 1000 would also have to be spread across all different types of households e.g. Young Families, Older Families with Teens, Students, Retired people, Public Venues, Single people, couples etc etc.

Mike 1972

Elmo wrote: »

Yeah its what they call hamockking:-

Must say I was aware of the concept but not the terminology before

Elmo wrote: »

Hammocking is a technique used by broadcasters whereby an unpopular programme is scheduled between two popular ones in the hope that viewers will watch it. Public-service broadcasters use this as a way of promoting serious but valuable content. A strong show, followed by a weak show which then is followed by a strong show. This is especially used for new shows. Hammocking may lead to situations where even if programs remain weak, audience rating will be high.

Surely remote control has made this all a bit quaint and outdated ?

mikom

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Surely remote control has made this all a bit quaint and outdated ?

PVR even moreso.

Elmo

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Surely remote control has made this all a bit quaint and outdated ?

Lazyness of Viewer is also a major factor of TV scheduling. How many people have forgot to fast forward through the ads after recording a show???? I do it on occasion. Or the remote is just out of reach after a nice Dinner, if only they had wheels or you could use the force to levitate it

PVR even moreso.

Not everyone has PVR but even still you would have thought that the VCR would have made it outdated. Remember with the PVR you have to look up the guide and you might find a nice little show that might be worth your while recording while recording the show before and/or after it.

In a way the Recorder makes the schedule more important for the viewer. I have missed to episodes of Smallville because of the schedule

Anyway just a thought.

Mike 1972

Elmo wrote: »

I am guessing that soap audiences do not have to watch the show everynight.

I thought thats the whole "point" of soaps (insofar as there is any)