luce...its how tv shows get their ratings. random names are selected on a computer database, then the selected families / homes are sent a black box that has to be attached to their Tv. this black box is a computerized box that keeps track of every tv show, channel and for how long that show, channel is watched. the results are tallied by a computer that this black box sends its information to.

if a tv show doesnt get enough ratings it get cancelled (taken off the air) if the tv show meets the rating system its approved for another year.

think of it like every time you turn on your tv someone else in your state knows exactly what you are watching and when and for how long.

another way to think about it is imagine someone attaching spyware to your computer and keeping track of what you are doing on your computer. its like that.

random families and people are selected to be representatives of what people like to watch on tv.

its really cool to be selected but its also a huge responsibility. when you are selected what you watch is basically saying its what people in your neighbor hood is watching. one box per community kind of thing.

remember when we were posting about the series US of Tara and it only has a few seasons. basically the people who had the black box attached to their tv watched it for a while then not so much so the ratings at first was really high then went down which caused the show to get cancelled.

now its alwayschangings turn to have a black box hooked up to their tv, that keeps track of everything they watch and for how long they watch that one tv show. then the results get tallied and then either the shows get cancelled or get approved for another season depending upon how many people with the black boxes watch that show.

when I was contacted I refused i did not want to be in the position of deciding for all of america what tv shows get cancelled or approved based on what shows I watched and didnt watch and whether I watched this show for only 5 minutes or that one all the way through. i did not want what I watch to be a representative of what everyone in my own neighborhood was watching.

always changing you can refuse to do this. you just call the technician and have them come out and remove the box (set meter) and send it back to the neilsen company. There should be contact info on the box on how to return the box and not be the one to be counted. it isnt a situation where you dont have a choice. if it scares and upsets you just send it back, they will select another family in your community to do the box.