TV Ratings Day
Industry DaysWhat Is TV Ratings Day?
December 22 is "TV Ratings Day" in Japan. It was established by Video Research Ltd., the country's only television audience measurement company, after the date on which it issued its first ratings report: December 22, 1962, covering the survey period of December 3 to 9.
The Day the First Report Appeared
Ratings are an index of how far television content is reaching an audience.
- Origin of the date: Video Research published its first TV ratings report on December 22, 1962
- Period covered: December 3 to 9, 1962
- What ratings measure: how many people television content is reaching
- How they are used: as input for programming decisions and advertising placement
- Intent of the day: to publish the year's ratings data and look back at what people paid attention to
Television Is a December Topic
Part of the stated purpose is to release the year's figures as a way of reviewing public interests. Late December is thick with year-end specials, and the question of which program drew the largest audience follows soon after. The date fits that review neatly.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Recall the program that stayed with you most this year
- Read up on how ratings are actually measured
- Go through the year-end schedule with family or colleagues
- Reflect on how your own viewing has changed over the years
Behind the Numbers, What People Watched
Ratings guide programming and ad spending, but they are also a record of what held people's attention during a given year. The end of December is a natural moment to read that record.