FAQ
Numeris' TV Diary surveys provide audience information that enables TV broadcasters to deliver the programs you want to see. These surveys give you an opportunity to tell decision-makers what you think of their stations and programs.
Our surveys are conducted by mail. We ask household members who are two years of age or older to write down their television viewing in a TV Diary for a one-week period. We ask one person in the home to act as Numeris' contact, helping to ensure that everyone records their viewing and that all Diaries are returned to Numeris. We enter the information from all the Diaries we receive into our database. This data is then compiled and used to produce our audience estimates and reports, which are released to our members twice a year.
TV surveys are conducted twice a year – once in the fall and once in the spring.
A sample of homes across Canada is selected to represent the entire TV audience. This sample includes all types of homes. Yours was randomly selected as a representative of your community.
We obtain contact information in two ways. The phone numbers, names and address details we use are randomly selected from telephone book listings, cell phone listings included. In addition, we use a computer program to randomly generate new numbers in order to reach unlisted phone numbers.
Yes. Please answer all questions, and try your best to include as much detail as possible when filling out the TV viewing section for each day.
We ask personal information strictly for research purposes. You should note that we combine your data with data from other TV Diaries to produce ratings about groups of people, not individual people or individual households, and we never disclose the names, addresses or phone numbers of panel members. In other words, your privacy will not be compromised.
We sent you a Diary for each member of your home aged two years or older. Please have each member of your household complete his or her own Diary, lending some assistance if and when age requires.
It's important that all selected homes participate in the television viewing survey, whether they watch TV just a little or a lot. This helps make sure we have a representative sample that reflects all types of TV viewers.
Many homes receive the same programs during the same time period, but from different stations in different cities across Canada. By identifying your cable/satellite service and provider, we are able to credit your viewing to the correct station.
If you watch television for five minutes or more, we'd like you to write it down.
Record the program you spent the most time watching for each15-minute period. Please record only one station per 15-minute period.
Please check your local TV listing. If you still can't find all of the missing information, record whatever you can.
You can enter whichever you prefer, but please be consistent across all entries.
Yes. We want a complete picture of your television viewing so please include all stations in your Diary.
Record the program name, call letters, satellite symbol and transponder number. If you don't have all of this information, please record whatever you do have.
Yes. Please keep a record of all viewing, whether the program is in English, French or another language.
When you leave home, please take your Diary with you so that you can continue to record programs you watch, whether it be at a restaurant, in the office, or at somebody else's home. Please remember to mark an (x) in the Watched TV Out of Home column for this type of viewing.
If you watch TV between 2:00 am and 6:00 am, relax and enjoy. There is no need to record it. Even Diary keepers need a rest!
Yes. If you use your TV to watch a program that you downloaded or streamed through the Internet, please write Internet in the Station Name or Call Letters column and indicate the title under Name of Show. This applies to any programs or movies you stream, rent, or download from any paid or free websites, including digital stores, subscription sites, free video sites, and broadcaster sites.
Yes. Please include viewing of previously recorded TV programs. Remember to enter the date and time the recording was made in the green-shaded PVR or VCR section, and fill in the station name, call letters, channel number and name of the show that you recorded. This information should line up with the day and time you view the recorded program.
Yes. Regardless of the device you're using, if you watch a program, we want to hear about it. Please write the name of the device in the Station Name or Call Letters column and indicate the title in the Name of Show column.
Provide details of the program you are watching, not the program you are recording.
PVR/VCR recordings do not need to be entered in the Diary until they are watched.
Yes. We want to know about the all of the videos you watch, so please write the title of the program or movie in the Program column and specify DVD or Blu-ray in the Station column.
No. Please do not include information about video games in your Diary.
Please place an (x) in the box at the bottom of the page for the day(s) when no viewing took place and answer the survey questions for the remaining days. Send your Diary back at the end of the survey week.
Please start again on the day the survey week actually begins. Cross out the incorrect information and list what you actually watch during the survey week.
Please transfer the information to the correct day and cross out the incorrect information.
TV Diaries should be completed by all individuals two years of age and older in your home. If you have young children, an adult or older sibling can fill in the survey questions and viewing information on their behalf.
Your TV Diary should reflect your viewing only. Please do not include anybody else's viewing in your Diary.