Eileen Meehan, "Why We Don't Count"
What is the main reason that broadcasters are interested in audiences?
Who are the most desirable audiences for broadcasters and why? Who "counts" and who doesn't?
What key factor helped to make radio a popular medium with audiences in the 1920s?
Upon what other industries did the early TV industry model itself?
Be able to explain how these ratings systems worked, the differences among them, and why broadcasters and advertisers switch from one to another:
Crossley
Hooper
Nielsen
What is forced choice and why does it matter?
What factors determine where cable television is available?
Poniewozik, "Writing by the Numbers"
What do page views have in common with the television industry?
Is the conflict between pleasing the audience and the artist a new phenomenon? If so, how did it come about; if not, when has it happened before?
What balance does Poniewozik believe is in danger because of the focus on page views?