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[December 22] What is TV Ratings Day? The mechanism of TV ratings, a guide by Video Research, and 5 bargain TVs you should check out now

もと国王の大秦野王国広報センター（雑煮系）

Hello, this is the former King👑

Today, December 22 is "TV Ratings Day". The "%" symbol is something we see all the time when watching TV, but in reality, this number is a very powerful indicator that influences not just program production, but also advertising, programming, and the future of shows.

And the end of the year is a season when the desire to replace your TV runs high. This time, while covering the truth about "TV ratings" as trivia, I will also summarize "TVs you should check out now" that I found on Amazon.

(*Stock and prices fluctuate daily. It is also OK to add models you are interested in to your cart and compare them later)


What is TV Ratings Day? (Origin and Establishment)

"TV Ratings Day (December 22)" is an anniversary established by Video Research Ltd..

The origin is that the day the company issued the first-ever TV ratings survey report by a Japanese company was December 22, 1962.

It is positioned as a day to look back on "how television has interacted with society" through viewing data.

What should I watch?

What are "TV ratings" in the first place?

Roughly speaking, TV ratings are

"the percentage indicating how many people (households) were watching a program at a certain time".

Here are the typical examples you often see👇

  • Household ratings: The percentage of "households" that were watching TV at that time

  • Individual ratings: The percentage of "people" who were watching TV at that time

  • Real-time viewing: Live broadcast/simultaneous viewing

  • Recording/Time-shift viewing: Viewing at a later date (super important these days)

Since modern television is a mix of "broadcast + streaming + recording," the ways of measuring viewing are also constantly evolving.

What kind of company is Video Research Ltd.?

Video Research Ltd. is a third-party organization that provides "viewing data," primarily for television, centered on TV.

Since it would cause conflict if stations assigned their own performance scores, neutral and fair mechanisms for measurement are essential.

Even now, TV ratings are:

  • Program evaluation

  • Advertising value (value of commercial slots)

  • Decision-making for programming and production

They hold strong influence as a common language for these.

Aside: Nielsen was there for Japan's "earliest TV ratings"

In fact, the one that first began full-scale TV rating surveys in Japan was A.C. Nielsen Company, which is now famous for audience measurement in the U.S. It is said that rating surveys started in Japan in April 1961, bringing the culture of "measuring the intensity of programs with numbers" to the dawn of television at that time.

However, against the trend of major foreign capital entering the market, there was a strong demand from the advertising and broadcasting industries to "measure TV ratings through a third-party organization with Japanese capital." Thus, Dentsu, Toshiba, and others proceeded to develop a measurement method, and Video Research was born in 1962 with investment from various commercial broadcasters—that is the "background story of its establishment."

From the era of channel surfing

What is even more interesting is that from around 1961 to 2000, there was a period when the figures from "Nielsen surveys" were used in TV information magazines and advertising trade journals for rating rankings. The world of TV ratings that we see as a matter of course today became the "current standard" after going through these transitions in measurement methods and providers.

How are TV ratings measured? (Surprisingly analog x statistical)

Conclusion: Cooperating households (monitors) have specialized measuring equipment attached to their TVs to record viewing status.

The image looks something like this👇

  • Install measuring equipment on the TV

  • Viewers press "their own button" to start viewing (identifying who is watching)

  • Which channel was watched and at what time is recorded

  • Aggregate using statistical theory and convert to "overall trends"

This is the key point: TV ratings are not a "complete census of the entire population," but rather statistical estimates.

That is precisely why "fair sampling," "continuous operation," and "reliability" are vital.

Calculated based on statistical methods

Why are high/low ratings important to TV stations?

To put it quite bluntly, for a TV station, ratings are the **"combat power of a program."**

  • Directly linked to advertising value: The more a time slot is watched, the more attractive it becomes to advertisers

  • Decision-making material for programming: Serves as the basis for continuing, ending, or changing time slots

  • Persuasive material for acquiring sponsors: Allows them to show with numbers that "this program is reaching people"

  • Influences the station's brand: The reputation that "this station is strong" builds up

Strength is power!

However, in the modern era, there is also streaming (TVer, etc.) as well as catch-up viewing and social media impact, so the industry isn't just "looking at ratings alone"; it has become a comprehensive battle of multiple metrics.

Even so, ratings still survive as a "strong common metric"—this is the interesting part.

5 "TVs to check out now" found on Amazon

(*Stock and prices fluctuate daily. It is also okay to add to cart and compare later for models you are interested in)

1) Hisense 55E7N PRO (55-inch / Mini LED + Quantum Dot / High-speed, gaming-oriented) [Release Year: 2024]

Manufacturer Overview: Hisense is a major player with strong global TV sales. In recent years, they have also been aggressive in the "high refresh rate for gaming" line.

Former King's Comment: For those who want to balance "image contrast + motion performance." It's a great choice for enjoying sports and live footage on a large screen.

2) REGZA 50Z570L (50-inch / 4K high-speed / Dolby Atmos / 2-program simultaneous recording) [Release Year: 2022]

Manufacturer Overview: REGZA is a brand with a reputation in Japan for "image processing and recording capabilities." It is currently developed by TVS REGZA.

Former King's Comment: A classic for practical use that hits the mark for those who believe "TV is all about recording." It's a type that causes little stress even when used by a family.

3) Sony BRAVIA KJ-55X75WL (55-inch / Google TV) [Release Year: 2023]

Manufacturer Overview: Sony is a manufacturer with a strong philosophy regarding image engines and color creation. My impression is that many people find the "picture quality" perfect for movies, anime, and streaming.

Former King's Comment: The 'When in doubt, go with Sony' choice. Google TV makes managing streaming apps very intuitive.

4) TCL 55P79B (55-inch / Google TV / 120Hz DLG / Game Mode features) [Release Year: 2024]

Manufacturer Overview: TCL is a manufacturer with a significant global presence in TV shipments. They excel at balancing price points with feature sets.

Former King's Comment: A must-check if you want to 'get a big screen first' at 55 inches. With game mode features included, it's a top contender for value for money.

5) LG 50UA7500PJA (50-inch / 4K / webOS / FILMMAKER MODE) [Release Year: 2025 Model]

Manufacturer Overview: LG is strong in display technology, and their TV UI (webOS) has a reputation for being easy to use.

Former King's Comment: For those who want to watch movies and dramas as the creators intended, FILMMAKER MODE is a welcome feature. A solid choice as a standard living room TV.

Recommended add-on purchases

If you only buy the TV itself, you'll often find yourself stuck later. These small accessories will increase your satisfaction👇

  • LCD cleaner + cloth (Put an end to fingerprints and dust problems)

The Former King's Summary: Ratings are a 'thermometer for TV,' and TVs are the 'scenery of the home'

TV ratings are a 'thermometer' that reflects where the interests of programs and society are directed.

And the TV itself is the scenery of your living room.

The winning strategy is to first add the models you're interested in to your cart to compare them, then narrow them down based on installation size (viewing distance) and usage (streaming, recording, gaming)👑

TV Rating: An indicator showing the percentage of people who were watching a program during a certain time slot.

Ratings Research Company (Third-Party Organization): An organization that measures viewing data from a neutral standpoint, rather than being a party involved like a TV station or advertising agency.
Video Research Ltd.: A leading third-party organization in Japan that handles TV ratings and viewing data.
A.C. Nielsen (Nielsen): A global research company that also conducted ratings research in Japan during the early days of television.
Nielsen Survey: The name for the ratings (data) calculated by Nielsen, which were referenced by media and other sources at the time.
Audience Measurement: The overall mechanism for estimating how much a program was watched using statistics.
Panel (Cooperating Households/Monitors): A group of households or individuals who cooperate with the survey. Data obtained from them is used to estimate the whole.
Sample Survey: A research method that estimates overall trends from a subset of samples rather than surveying the entire population.
Estimation: Statistically inferring the overall situation from sample results.
Weighting: Adjustments made to correct sample bias and bring it closer to population demographics.
Statistical Error: Fluctuations associated with sample surveys. This is why judgments are based on trends and multiple indicators rather than single figures.
Household Ratings: The percentage indicating whether a TV was being watched at the household level.
Individual Ratings: The percentage indicating who was watching at the individual level.
Real-time Viewing: Watching at the same time as the broadcast.
Time-shift Viewing (Recorded Viewing): Watching later via recording or catch-up services.
Total Viewing (Real-time + Recorded, etc.): A concept that evaluates program reach by including not only real-time viewing but also viewing at a later date.
People Meter: A common term for a measurement method used to track who watched what (often assumes individual identification).
Set Meter: A measurement concept focused on receiver-side information, such as whether the TV was on or which channel was tuned in.
Diary Method: A method where viewers record the programs they watched. A classic technique that appears in the history of measurement.
Programming: Designing which programs to place in which time slots.
Advertising Transactions (CM Slots): Transactions that determine the value of commercial slots based on how well a program or time slot reaches an audience.
GRP/TRP: Indicators used to represent the cumulative reach of advertising by adding up ratings (used in the context of TV advertising).
Reach: How many people were reached (the concept of the number of people reached).
Frequency: How many times it was reached on average (the concept of contact frequency).
OTT: A term referring to video distribution via the internet other than broadcasting (subscriptions, etc.).
CTV (Connected TV): A TV that can connect to the internet and watch videos via apps.

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