• by Wayne Friedman , March 5, 2008

In this new digital world, the value of a TV show can't be measured only in terms of traditional ratings. But until now, there has been no way to measure a TV show's broader value.

Optimedia International decided to tackle this problem, releasing a new ratings/value system called the Content Power Ratings Report, for TV shows. It examines a TV show's traditional audience as well as all its digital platforms (online, mobile, word-of-mouth buzz), and PR exposure in news stories.

The media agency looked at four areas:

• audience size across TV, Web and mobile properties

• audience appeal, including awareness, core values, and quality

• interest, which includes PR and news mentions and word-of-mouth buzz

• streaming--watching the program online.

  The media agency used data from a number of sources: Nielsen Media Research's NTI database, comScore's Media Metrix, E-Poll's FastTrack, Keller Fay Group's TalkTrack and Factiva, as well as the agency's own primary research.

  The ratings index, a quarterly study, ranks the relative reach and power of the top 100 television programs.

  The top three shows on report are often the top shows in traditional TV ratings: Fox's "American Idol," ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and "Grey's Anatomy."

  But the agency points out that many shows improved their status by including digital platforms and news stories. For instance, while NBC shows "Heroes," "The Office" and "30 Rock" are ranked 27th, 79th, and 88th in television viewers in 2007, they are ranked 4th, 6th, and 18th, respectively, when looking at Optimedia's Content Power Ratings.

  Some programs that show traditional high TV ratings actually do more poorly when including digital and other sources, according to Optimedia. CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" was the third-highest-ranked TV show in terms of TV viewership, but was fifth according to Content Power Ratings. Fox's "House" was the sixth-best TV-viewed show, but 10th according to Content Power Ratings. CBS' "CSI: Miami" was the fourth-best TV rated show, but only 12th according to Optimedia.

  Other notable surprises: Lifetime's "Army Wives" was not only the top-ranked cable show according to Optimedia, but was also ahead of network prime-time reality shows, such as NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and Fox's "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?"

  CW's young-skewing "Gossip Girl,", while recording low television viewership against many more broadly viewed TV shows (115th), outranked ABC's "Private Practice" and NBC's "Bionic Woman" because of its digital platforms--online, mobile and word-of-mouth buzz. It came in 15th place, according to Optimedia's Content Power listing.