Method / Measuring procedure

The electronic measuring device is connected to all TVs and related peripheral devices of a given household. Every 30 seconds, it registers and automatically stores all programmes that the TVs and any set-top boxes are tuned into; it also registers any video cassettes that are recorded or played and the use of Teletext and TV games.

The measuring device has a remote control featuring eight person buttons and six rating buttons. Household members and guests can enter the beginning and the end of their viewing sessions, as well as how they rate the programmes, by means of the appropriate buttons.

At night, the collected data is acquired via the public phone network (fixed-line and GSM) by the central computer of GfK Switzerland, the institute for market analysis which is charged with data evaluation.