3
Feb

Have You Ever Filled Out The Nielsen TV Diary?

   Posted by: jude   in Mature Not Senile Misc

Anybody else out there receive a Nielsen TV Ratings Viewing Diary? We received a packet from them yesterday and they had enclosed 5 new one dollar bills asking us nicely to please fill this diary out starting Feb. 4th for a week. I hate when companies try making you feel obligated to donate or participate by giving you something in advance.

Bill and I have both donated to the disabled Veterans in the past and now we religiously receive those little address labels. They really don’t have to send those to us or me anyhow because I seldom ever send out paper mail and I donate when I can. I really hate when people try making me feel obligated or guilty especially when I’m broke also.

We have 3 televisions and they want me to fill out a lot of information about our system and then Thursday I’m suppose to keep track of everything that is watched on all 3 by everyone in the house including visitors. I personally don’t think we are a good representation of the people in our neighborhood and sometimes the TV is just on for noise.

Out of curiosity would you: 1. Keep the 5 and pitch the diary in the garbage? 2. Send the diary and 5 back? 3. Keep the 5 and keep track of all programs? 4. Keep the 5 and simply put down whatever you feel like?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 1:40 am and is filed under Mature Not Senile Misc. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

14 comments so far

Steve
 1 

I’m 63 and I’ve been asked to fill out my TV viewing habits twice in my life. Both were a long time ago and from 2 different addresses.

February 3rd, 2010 at 7:56 am
GregoryJ
 2 

Keep the five and pitch it.
I get so many solicitations with dimes, nickels, pennies, address labels up the ying yang. I give when I can. I got caught up in donating when they give you something in return like a jacket or hat for the Olympics, a knapsack or duffel bag or gym bag or whatever. And now they keep asking for more, every day. I can’t keep giving; I don’t have it.
I like the DAV, USO, AdoptAPlatoon. My wife likes to give to a group of original Americans in the southwest.
I used to do Help Hosp. Veterans until they started with some kind of sweep stakes. That just turned me off.
Thanks for getting me started.
GregoryJ´s last blog ..Thoughts at Random My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 am
Joan
 3 

I think I would fill it out, only because there are so many television shows that I enjoy that end up being cancelled because they have low neilson ratings. (You know, the thoughtful, well-written shows that actually have CONTENT! These are always the first to be cancelled!).

I know what you mean about the address labels. I hate when I give to a charity (I’m not wealthy, so it’s usually not a grand amount, but I know every little bit helps), then they immediately spend that money on pummeling me with letter after letter after letter asking me for MORE!! Sigh!

I just found your blog and I think it’s really beautifully laid-out. I’m new and am trying to figure out what to do with mine! You are a great inspiration! Thanks!
Joan´s last blog ..Pink Plastic Real Estate My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 9:17 am
Auntie E
 4 

I think I would fill it out. I can’t understand why some of these shows make it. My Dad worked with the networks for years and they take those ratings seriously. So if I could have a say on some of the shows, it would be great. Maybe we would have more wholesome shows to watch again.
Auntie E´s last blog ..It’s Feburary 2, 2010 My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 9:24 am
Tina T
 5 

I thought that they had gotten rid of the diaries and had switched over top those boxes that monitor viewing ages ago. I do think that it would be nice to have a say, but there are so few things on TV that are any good that I don’t know if it would matter anyway if you fill it out. There’s nothing wrong with keeping the 5 and pitching it–you didn’t ask them to send it to you.
Tina T´s last blog ..Why Won’t He Marry Me? My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 10:28 am
Buggys
 6 

I might go ahead and fill out the diariy. We don’t watch TV very much but there are probably 5 shows that I really enjoy and I could get a plug in for those, if it even matters. I also wouldn’t feel bad about keeping the $5 and tossing the diary.
Buggys´s last blog ..Health Reform? My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 2:32 pm
ann
 7 

I would definitely keep the five and at least make a half hearted attempt to fill out the form
ann´s last blog ..Looking back My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Lynne
 8 

I think I would fill it out. I like being asked for my opinion!
Lynne´s last blog ..Piecing a Table Runner My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Doctor Faustroll
 9 

The first time, I heard from Nielsen, I didn’t even have a TV. I invested my five bucks in drug paraphenalia and mufflers to keep me from listening to the sounds from the people next door who were watching TV. I made all my stuff up in the diary, and I still haven’t bought a TV, although I’m getting my crisp ones on a regular basis.
Doctor Faustroll´s last blog ..Breaking gnus My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Jen
 10 

I used to want to be asked to do this but now I rarely watch tv. I’d keep the $5 and I would write down what I could remember if I thought about it. I’d be honest, I would’t make it up but I’d tell them the tv was on but no one was watching it. Which is exactly what happens here, unless they count the dog and the cat as viewers.
Jen´s last blog ..US Bank My ComLuv Profile

February 3rd, 2010 at 10:22 pm
RE - Entrepod
 11 

I’ve done the harris poll and the nielsons both. I filled them out and sent them back so that they’d know that not everybody thinks that crap they put on television is worthy of my time. infact I remember putting down the news and pbs / bbc programs only. yepper that’s what I watch. the rest of it is for dh.

February 4th, 2010 at 12:15 am
Patricia
 12 

I remember doing the Nielsen diary maybe fifteen years ago. I thought it was fun and not too hard.
Patricia´s last blog ..The First "Good Communicator Award" Recipient My ComLuv Profile

February 6th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Karen & Gerard Zemek
 13 

We got one several years ago and did it. I finally felt like my opinion counted for something and since we don’t watch all that much TV, it wasn’t hard to do.
Karen & Gerard Zemek´s last blog ..10 Things I Learned This Week–#57 My ComLuv Profile

February 6th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Charee
 14 

I got a survey (not a diary) from them in January with $2 in it. I’ve always wanted to have my say in how much crap is on TV so I filled it out. Then last week I got a bigger packet, with a couple of diaries and $30 in it. And I don’t even get to write in my regular shows because it’s the olympics this week. Oh well, maybe they’ll pick me again sometime.

February 16th, 2010 at 2:46 pm

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