lex-man wrote:We seem to be skipping past how useless BARB actually are if they are off by a factor of 30.
BARB uses a similar method to the pollsters. BARB takes 5100 households and fits them with a meter, special remote control, and software for other devices (provided through Kantar Media). That information is supposed to get an accurate figure of what the country is watching. People often make the common mistake of thinking what they're viewing on a normal TV has any bearing on the rating, but it doesn't whatsoever.
Theoretically speaking, the viewership figures could be just as wrong as the opinion polls if those chosen to reflect the nation are wrong. Streaming and on-demand services in comparison are 100% accurate (unless they're lying, but then they'd also be lying to shareholders).