Commentary

Kids' TV Available In More (Non-Measurable) Forms Than Ever

Nickelodeon will be on in the backseat, while “Grey’s Anatomy” is already on in dorm rooms. But what’ll happen when TV is embedded on kids’ skateboards? 

Sirius Satellite Radio and three of the main kids’ TV networks -- Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network -- have agreed to be part of the Sirius satellite TV car system that will debut in 2008 Chrysler minivans. It’s about $500 extra for the system, with another $20 a month for the service.

Kids can be bored to tears in the back seat. No doubt this will help parents concentrate on driving. Yet all this seems like cheating -- extending the electronics age for a few more hours a day, with more electronic tools added to the list of mobile phones, portable games players, and handheld video devices.  

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Good news for kids’ TV programmers however. They’ll get more viewing time and be able to jack up ratings -- as soon as Nielsen is able to get those meters into cars.

The Kasier Family Foundation might have a problem with this. Earlier this week, they said kids were watching too many commercials -- food ads in particular. Kids need to get distracted, so they may be eating food while their parents drive.

Speaking of the world of younger viewers, Nielsen has revealed that college students do indeed watch TV in their dorm rooms. The good news comes for many ABC shows -- “Grey's Anatomy,” “Men In Trees,” “Ugly Betty” and  "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” -- where ratings are higher especially among 18-24 audiences.

In “Grey’s” case, Magna Global says the show also has seemingly added an additional, and sizable, rating point to its prized selling tool of the 18-49 demographic.

So, here’s what we have with these two new stories: As soon as we get good metrics on finding out what young people are watching, we develop new programming in places we almost assuredly will have trouble counting.

When TV programmers get to remote-less, holographic wireless images, they’ll have the same measurement problems  -- always one step behind. But parents will always seem one step ahead – with children engaged electronically in more places than ever.

 

 

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