Big Brother is Watching Me

(Yes, two posts in one day. Shocking)

Take a look at this picture





Yes, it is a bunch of wires that are next to and behind my TV, but do you have any idea what this is?



No? Then take a look at this picture






That's right, I am one of the <50,000 "Nielsen families" that comprise the sample size used to estimate TV watching patterns of US households. I received a notice a couple weeks back that my apartment was randomly selected to be a Nielsen household. With my approval, someone would install equipment in my TV, VCR, and DVD player as well as some other equipment to monitor my viewing habits. I thought this would be pretty neat, so I agreed to let Nielsen come meter all my TV related devices.

Want to know the best part? They pay me for agreeing to let them collect this information! THEY PAY ME TO WATCH TV! I don't even have to change my viewing habits, so long as I "log in" when I turn on the TV, which takes about one second.

Since I am an underrepresented demographic in their sample (male under 35 with no children), they pay me MORE than their contracted rates. Sadly, I can only be in a Nielsen home as long as I live at my current apartment and for no longer than 24 months, so the gravy train won't last forever.

I represent ~35,000 households!!! You know what this means? Hockey ratings in the U.S. are going to double!!!!!