Deconstructing the Ratings Machine: An Introduction

Abstract

After spreading out from the West, on-going television audience measurement (TAM) now prevails in many countries as the main yardstick against which both professionals and, to a certain extent, the general public measure the value of programmes. These evaluations, from one season, one week or even one day to the next, along with the careers of professionals, the value of firms and their turnovers, all depend closely on these indexes. TV audience ratings are moreover used way beyond the field of broadcasting itself, or even the cultural market. The mainstream media also consider them as interesting material to which they devote articles and programmes. Any crisis concerning these ratings has repercussions much further afield than the audio-visual or even the advertising economies. The public authorities in all countries are involved, in many ways, and they use, quote, debate and question ratings.