Audience measurement of digital TV

This article assesses the current state of digital TV audience measurement and considers the case for government regulation of TV audience measurement systems and companies. It relies on existing scholarship and the author’s ethnographic research in TV households. The analysis is placed in the context of how people actually watch TV and the evolution of TV audience measurement systems. Current patterns of digital TV consumption create many challenges for accurate measurement, including device shifting, place shifting and time shifting. Social media analytics and cross platform measurement are new components in comprehensive digital TV audience measurement, but both are works in progress. Government regulation of TV audience measurement systems and companies does not appear justified. Industry self regulation, accreditation by a private ratings agency and advanced research by university and industry groups appear more suited to meeting the many challenges and opportunities in digital TV audience measurement.