TVQ qualitative ratings are surveys that reflect the American public`s viewing experience and attitudes toward television programs in all dayparts. For forty years, TVQ has been the only ongoing source of qualitative television data industry-wide.

TVQ qualitative ratings are surveys that reflect the American public`s viewing experience and attitudes toward television programs in all dayparts. For forty years, TVQ has been the only ongoing source of qualitative television data industry-wide.

TVQ expands our clients` knowledge beyond the limited realm of `how many viewers are watching a particular show?` Nielsen ratings, and answers the very critical question of `how do viewers feel about what they see on TV?` Unlike Nielsen, which measures household tuning, audience size and demographic composition, TVQ measures the commitment of various viewer demographics, to specific television programs over time.

• This viewing commitment is a true indicator of a program`s intrinsic appeal, which is accomplished by measuring viewer attitudes, without regard to a program`s particular schedule position.

• While Nielsen ratings are partly a function of a program`s inherent appeal, it also reflects other factors, such as the influence of the time period i.e., viewer availability, the appeal of competition, lead-in, etc..

• Thus, a program may recieve high Nielsen ratings because of:
  • Soft Competition - it is the "best of the worst" programs available to watch, rather than being viewed for its own inherent appeal.
  • Favorable Scheduling - it may have weak inherent appeal, but the program is drawing its audience primarily from a strong lead-in or a desirable "sandwich" position between two stronger programs.

As a result, Nielsen ratings may be a misleading indicator of a program`s overall strength – especially its potential for success in a new time period that contains different competition.

For new and developing programs, TVQ Scores measure potential and can help ``borderline programs`` early measures of high Q Scores with initially low Nielsen ratings if they are kept on the air long enough to achieve the larger audience indicated by TVQ.

For established programs, where viewing experience and familiarity is quite high and little or no ``potential`` remains, TVQ measures the program`s ``staying power`` – its ability to sustain or upgrade viewer commitment. Continuing TVQ measurements also indicate when an established program begins to ``wear-out`` – often before ratings erosion.