A&E's Paranormal Conducts Viewership Poll at New York Post Web Site
Well, here's a new way to conduct viewership research: put an insta-poll up on nypost.com asking viewers how, and if, they watch your show. The poll at right ran today asking visitors, their viewing habits, if any regarding the A&E show "Paranormal." Participants could choose "watched all or part of the program"; "did not watch" or "recorded it with Tivo/DVR/VCR."
Unfortunately, I clicked off of the ad before I could vote and see the results, but it's a somewhat ingenious, if not very scientific, way of beginning to ascertain viewing habits. It seems as though the poll would inevitably be skewed toward those who did watch some portion of the show. As for the rest, if they didn't watch the show, they certainly wouldn't be very interested in participating in a poll about it.
As DVR use starts to skyrocket, and measurement companies work mightily to come to grips with it, media companies may well start to use all sorts of inventive ways to get a handle on what's really going on out there.
Previous coverage of DVR use at BNET Media: