During your diary-keeping week, watch TV as you normally do.  As you watch or listen to the television, write or print the following in the columns on the diary viewing pages:

• In the "TV Set OFF or ON" columns mark an "X" in the "ON" column and draw a line down the column to indicate how long the TV was on.  For all times that the TV is turned off, mark an "X" in the "OFF" column and draw a line down the column to indicate how long the TV was off. 
  

• Station or Channel Name (Call letters) in the "Station or Channel Name" column - Call letters of broadcast stations usually consist of four letters that begin with W or K.  They are usually displayed at the bottom right of your TV screen on the half-hour, are sometimes called "Station Identification" and identify the broadcast TV station or network.  You can also check the newspaper or a cable guide for the station call letters.  Cable channels use channel names for identifiers. 
  

• Channel number in the "Chan. No." column - Write in the cable channel number if the set is connected to cable.  If the set is not connected to cable, write in the channel number of the broadcast TV station or network. 

• Name of Program or Movie in the "Name of Program or Movie" column - if you do not know the name of the program, please refer to a newspaper program listing or cable guide. If you do not know the name, write in any information that may help us to identify what you are watching.

• Who is watching the program - mark an "X" in the column under the person's name when they start watching and draw a line down the column to indicate the length of time the person watches TV.  If more than one person is watching, please indicate that as well.  Please be sure to include any visitors who may watch TV during the diary week.  Write visitor in the next available name field.

When the diary week is over:

• The diary is a self-mailer.  No envelope or postage is necessary.
  
• Moisten the flap on the back cover of the diary and seal over the label on the front cover, which bears your name.
  

• When the back cover is folded over the front cover, your address will not show.  The only address visible on the outside of the diary should be Nielsen's return address.  This way the Post Office will be sure to send the diary to us.
  

• Please drop your diary or diaries in the mail right away - Nielsen pays the postage.
  

• If you received multiple diaries, follow the above procedure for each diary. Please return every diary no matter how much or how little TV viewing each diary contains. If TVs were not used, please write "No Viewing" on the diary cover and return it.

If you would like step-by-step assistance, feel free to call our toll-free telephone number: 1-800-237-8611, 7 days a week, 9:00 AM to 12:00 Midnight EST.

Is it difficult to keep a TV diary?
No.  Diary keeping is easy.  It only takes a few minutes to make entries in the diary when someone watches TV in your home.  You make entries in the diary for just one week, and then return it.  You may call our toll free 1-800-237-8611 (7 days a week, 9:00 AM to 12:00 Midnight EST) if you have questions during your diary-keeping week or you can find answers to most frequently-asked questions elsewhere on this web site.

Must I fill out all the questions in every diary that I received?
Please answer all the questions in at least one diary; however, it would be useful to answer all the questions in all the diaries.  We would like you to answer questions 4 & 7 in Step 1, "Is this TV connected to a Cable TV service?" and "Is this TV connected to any of the following devices?" in all diaries.  This helps us identify the TV viewing for each diary.


Household Members

How do I fill in household member and visitor information?

• In the front of the diary (Step 3), in columns 1 through 9, fill in the name of each household member, including any children (whether they watch TV or not) and any visitors, if they watch TV.  If your household received more than one diary, fill in the names in the same order in each diary.
  

• Fill in the age and gender of each household member.

• If you have a visitor who watches TV in your home during your diary week, write "Visitor" in the next available name box.  If you wish to write in their name, please write "Visitor" after it so we count the person as a visitor and not a member of the household.  Also, fill in their age and gender.  If their age is unknown, please write in your best estimate. 

• Write in the average number of hours each household member or visitor works per week. Write in zero (0) for anyone not working.

Where are the names of household members written in the diary?
Write in the name of each household member in columns 1 through 9, at the top right-hand corner of Step 3 of the diary.  If you received multiple diaries, write the names in the same order in each diary.

How do we indicate which household member is watching a particular program?
Mark an "X" in the column under the appropriate household member's name at the time they started watching.  Draw a line down under the "X" to indicate the length of time the person watches the program.  You can find the time of day on the left-hand side of each diary page.

How do I indicate in the diary that more than one viewer is watching?
The TV viewing of up to nine people can be recorded in your diary.  Each column on the right side of the diary pages is for the viewing of one person.  Mark an "X" under the name of each person at the time they start watching a particular program.  Draw a line down under the "X" to indicate the length of time that person was watching the program.

Where should the names of two male roommates be entered in the diary?
Whoever is listed first on the home's lease, deed, or mortgage should enter their name in "Male Head of Household" (column 1).  Enter the other name in column 3.   Write "None" in Column 2.  Do not use column 2, as that is provided for Female Head of Household only.

Where should the names of two female roommates be entered in the diary?
Whoever is listed first on the home's lease, deed, or mortgage should enter their name in "Female Head of Household" (column 2).  Enter the other name in column 3.  Write "None" in column 1.  Do not use column 1, as that is provided for Male Head of Household only.

We are three single women living in the same house and we each have our own separate phone lines.  Who is considered the "Female Head of House"?
Whoever is listed first on the lease, deed, or mortgage should enter their name in "Female Head of Household" (column 2).  Enter the other names in columns 3 and 4.  Write "None" in column 1.  Do not use column 1, as that is provided for Male Head of Household only.

Can other members of my home enter their viewing in the diary?
Yes!  We need to know what programs all persons, including any visitors, watch in your home.  If teenagers or children watch TV in your home, they may enter their viewing, or you may enter it for them.  The TV stations, networks, and cable channels are very interested in the TV viewing of all persons in your home.

The household has a Female Head of House and one son.  Should the son's name be entered under "Male Head of House", or in column 3?
Turn to Step 3 in the diary where household member information is written.  In column 3, enter the son's name, age, and "M" for male.  Write "none" in column 1, which is listed as the "Male Head of House" column.  Write the name and age of the Female Head of House in the second column. 

There are people living here who are not members of our immediate family.  Do I include them in the diary?
Yes.  As long as the people reside (live) in the home, they are to be entered in the diary as household members.



Children

If the TV is on, and a child under two years of age is watching, how do I fill in the diary?
Please enter the viewing of the child under two years of age by writing their name in a blank column.  Record what they watch just as you would for any adult.  Write the channel name, number, the name of the program or movie, and mark an "X" in the column under the appropriate name.  Draw a line down all of these columns from the "X" to indicate how long the child watched the program or movie.

Do I enter my children's viewing in the diary if they are watching TV in another room?
Enter the TV viewing in the diary for that particular TV set, or ask the children to enter their own viewing.  If there is no diary for that set, enter their TV viewing in the other diary.  We are interested in all viewing that is done in your home.  Children's viewing is very important to us.

I have no children, but I run a Daycare center.  How is the viewing of the children in the Daycare center to be listed in the diary?
Write in household members and your own children first, if any.  For children in the Daycare, write each child's name and write "Visitor" beside it in any columns that are not used for household members.  Include the approximate age and sex of each child.  If there are not enough columns, write the total number of visitors in one column, and enter the viewing as they watch.



Visitors

Can anyone write in the diary? For instance, can a visitor write in the diary? If no household members are at home, should the visitor make their own diary entries?
Yes, visitors may enter their TV viewing anytime they view.  They should write "Visitor" in any empty column not occupied by a household member.  They should record their viewing in the same manner as everyone else in the household.

There are not enough columns to write in the TV viewing of all my visitors. What do I do if there are more people in my house than there are columns in the diary? Should I have visitors fill out a separate diary for their viewing?
After listing each family member, then list visitors from oldest to youngest until you run out of columns. For visitors, be sure to write the word “visitor” instead of writing in their name or initials. You can also attach a separate sheet with the gender, age and TV programs viewed for any visitor. Please ask any visitor to write down their viewing either in the diary or on this separate sheet.

Sometimes friends come over to watch special shows, such as football.  Do I include them in the diary?
Yes.  Enter them as visitors, and include their TV viewing in the diary.  Be sure to list their approximate age and gender.  If there are not enough columns, write the total number of visitors in one column, and enter the viewing as they watch.  

If I have long term visitors watching TV in my home, do I include them as Household members or visitors??
After all of the Household member information has been entered in the columns in the upper right corner of Step 3, write in “visitor” and enter their gender and age. If age is unknown, guess. It is important to list visitors individually by the word “visitor” and not their name or initials so that we do not confuse them to be Household members. We are measuring the household which includes the Household members as well as any visitor staying there temporarily or long term.

My viewing has changed as a result of new people living in my home.
Please write in what you, other household members, and visitors actually watch on TV during the survey. Please use the Comments section to write a note about TV programs you normally would have watched; but missed watching during the survey.

I added a TV(s) because I've taken visitors into my home. My visitors brought a TV into my home.
Please include the TV viewing for all TV’s in your home even if a TV set was brought into your home by a visitor. Include visitor viewing as you would household member viewing. It does not matter whether the person or persons are short term or long term visitors.

What if I have visitors who to not want to be a part of the survey?
Your household was chosen for this survey, so please do participate with your household members. If you wish, please write a note in the Comments section to let us know the # of visitors whose viewing was not included.

The diary task is more difficult due to more people staying in my house.
Your diary/diaries are important. Please do take part in the survey. This is to represent and report the TV viewing of people in your area.

Hours Worked Per Week

What do you mean by "Number of hours worked" (for the TV or me)?
This question refers to household members who are employed.  Enter hours worked per week for each employed member of the household. Write in zero (0) for anyone not working.

If there are household members who do not work outside the home, such as students or the office is located in the home, what do I enter in "Number of hours worked per week"?
Fill in "0" hours or "none" for students, retired persons, children, stay-at-home parents, etc.  If the office is in the home, enter the number of hours the person who uses that office works.



Time

What does viewing 5 minutes in a quarter-hour mean?
If a person watches a program for five minutes or more, please write that in the diary.  If you switch channels, you could watch three shows within a fifteen-minute (quarter-hour) period.  Please enter each channel and program, and indicate who watched.

What do I do when I watched a channel for a few minutes?
If you or someone in your home watched a program for at least five minutes, please enter the channel name, number, the name of program or movie, and the persons watching.  If you watched programs for less than five minutes make a note in the diary to indicate you were "switching" channels. 



Station Name, Channel Name, Channel Number, City

Can I attach a pre-printed list of the channels my set receives?
Yes. You can send in a list of your TV channels, such as a channel listing or channel guide from a local newspaper or your cable company that lists this information, if available. Please review the list to make sure it is accurate and that no channels have changed. Cross out any channels you do not subscribe to or receive. If some have changed, please try to correct them right on the channel list itself. This will help us when we receive the diary back.   Whatever information you can supply in the diary will help us to identify and give credit to any channel or station that you have written in the diary pages during your survey week.

What do I enter if I don't know the call letters for the stations being watched?

• Call letters of broadcast stations usually consist of four letters that begin with W or K.  They are shown on the screen each half-hour, and are sometimes called "Station Identification" and identify the broadcast TV station.  You can also check the newspaper, TV listing, on-screen guide or cable guide for the station call letters. 

• Cable channels use channel names for identifiers. 

• If you do not know the call letters or channel name, fill in the channel number and the name of the program so we can identify the station or channel name from TV programming listings.  Please enter all three pieces of information (call letters, channel number, program name) if you know them.

Should the national network letters (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PAX, UPN, WB, etc.) be entered in the diary, or the local call letters (WCAU, etc.)?
Fill in the local call letters if you know them.  If you do not know the call letters, and do not have a TV Listing to refer to, enter the national network letters.  Be sure to enter the channel number and name of program.

What is important to indicate in the diary: the channel number, the call letters, or the name of the program?
It is important to write in all three pieces of information whenever possible.  We need the channel name, number, and the name of the program being watched in order to give the proper credit for the viewing.  It is also very important to indicate who is watching the program and the length of time watched.

When I list the channels that my TV receives, what should I write in the diary if I don't know where a station or channel originates?
If you do not know from what city a TV station or channel originates, just leave the space blank and we will look it up in our records.

Should I write in only network TV viewing, such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PAX, UPN, WB, etc.? 
Please write in all channels that you watch, as you watch them, using the call letters and channel numbers of the stations.

Which channel number should be written in the diary - the channel number from the cable box or the channel number from the TV listing?
When making entries in the "Chan. No." column, please write in the cable channel number if the set is connected to cable.  If it is not connected to cable, write in the broadcast channel number.  Be sure to also enter the station call letters (or channel name) and name of the program so we can identify the channel.  Please be consistent in your entries throughout the diary.

If I don't know the call letters of a station, but I know the channel number, do I just enter the channel number?
Enter the channel number and the name of the program so that we can look up the call letters.  Please try to fill in all three pieces of information.  Refer to the newspaper, a TV listing or a cable guide for the call letters or station name.

Why do I need to write in all the channels I receive? Or...You know what channels I receive, so why do I need to write them in the diary?
The channel number, station/channel name, and city is important information that allows Nielsen to properly credit your viewing to the correct station. There are many areas of the country that may receive the same programs during the same time period, but the program may be from different stations in different cities. We have no way of knowing this information unless you tell us. Filling in channels that you receive, allows us to accurately match your viewing to the appropriate station. As an alternative, you can attach a list of your TV channels, such as from a local newspaper or your cable company that lists this information.

Should I write in the diary a station that is received only sporadically?
Yes. If you know what channels or stations that each set receives, please list them in the diary. If you do not know all of them, please list those that you do know. Whatever information you can supply in the diary will help us to identify and give credit to any channel or station that you have written in the diary pages during your diary week. You may also attach a cable channel listing or channel guide from a newspaper, if available. Please review the list to make sure it is accurate and that no channels have changed. Cross out any channels you do not subscribe to or receive. If some have changed, please try to correct them right on the channel list itself. This will help us credit the channel or station when we receive the diary back.



Name of Program

Do I repeat the name of the program for every quarter-hour?
No.  Please enter the name of the program at the time viewing begins.  Draw lines down through all the quarter-hours in which the same program is being watched.  There is an example of viewing entries in Step 4 in the diary, showing lines drawn from the call letters, channel number, program name, and persons viewing.

If I watch only one station for several hours and many programs, how do I enter that in the diary?
Enter the station and channel number and draw lines down to indicate how long the TV station was on.  Write in each program name and draw a line down to show how long it was watched.  Also, indicate who watched each program.  There is an example in Step 4 in the diary.

What about the programs I enjoy the most or the least?
There is space in the inside back cover of the diary to write in comments about what you like and don't like about TV in general or a particular program.  TV executives review the comment sheets and your input is valuable to them.



TV ON, but No One is Watching/Listening

What entries are made in the column entitled, "TV ON, but no one watching"?
If the TV is on, but no one is watching or listening, mark an "X" in the column labeled "TV on but no one Watching / Listening".  The column is located at the far right side of the diary pages.  Draw lines down the column for the length of time the TV was on but no one was watching or listening.  Please enter the channel name and the channel number that the TV was on. Also enter the name of the program(s), if known. 

If the TV is on (for background noise/sound), but no one is actually watching, how should I fill out the diary?
If the TV is on, and some one listens to some programs, please enter the channel name, number and the name of program or movie.  Draw lines down to indicate how long the TV was on and put an "X" under the column of each person who listens to the program.  If the TV is on, and no one is watching or listening then enter the channel name, number, and mark an "X" in the column labeled "TV on but no one Watching / Listening".  Also enter the name of the program(s), if known.



Evening/Late Night Viewing

I work the night shift and watch TV at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning.  How do I enter this in the diary?
The diary is a 24 hour a day diary.  Each day has a morning, afternoon, evening, and late night page to enter viewing at whatever time you watch.  Enter late-night viewing on the late night page, which starts at 11:00 PM.

Where should I enter evening viewing in the diary if the page for daytime viewing is from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM?
Please turn to the next page in your diary.  Evening viewing is from 5:00 PM until 5:00 AM.  Note that the time column is a darker shade of blue for the evening diary page and a moon is shown on the left side of the page.  Late-night viewing should also be entered in the diary.

I sometimes fall asleep at night with my TV ON.  How do I enter this in the diary?
Mark an "X" and draw a line down the "TV on but no one Watching / Listening" column for the time you were asleep.  If you are not sure of the exact time, estimate at what time you fell asleep.  Additionally, draw lines down the "TV ON", "Station or Channel Name", and "Chan. No" columns to indicate what was on while you were sleeping.  Indicate what time you turned the TV off when you woke up by putting an "X" in the "TV OFF" column.  If you resumed watching TV, put an "X" in the column with your name and write in the program information for the show you watched after waking up.

How do I write in the diary a program that starts at 4:00 AM and ends at 6:00 AM?
On the late night page at 4:00 AM put an "X" in the "TV ON" column.  Write in the  channel name, number, and the name of the program or movie, and put an "X" in the column of each Household Member who is watching.  Draw lines under the information to show it was watched till 5:00 AM.  On the morning page for the next day, re-enter the same information on the 5:00 AM line and draw lines under the information to show the program was watched until 6:00 AM.



Comment Section

Where can I write comments about shows that I want on or off the air, or like or don't like in the diary?
There is space on the last page of the diary to write in comments about what you like and don't like about TV in general or a particular program.  Be sure to write in only programs you actually viewed in the diary pages.  TV executives review the comment sheets and your input is valuable to them.  If there is not enough space, you may attach a separate sheet.



Returning the Diary

Is there a return envelope to mail the diary to Nielsen? . . . Or . . . What kind of envelope should be used to return the diary?
No return envelope is needed.  The diary is a self-mailer.  Moisten the flap on the back cover of the diary, and seal over the label on the front cover, which bears your name.  We pay the postage.  If you did receive an envelope from us, you may use it to return all your diaries.

I don't know how to fold/seal the diary to mail back.  Is it OK to tape it?
The diary is a self-mailer and has a strip of glue on the flap in the back, which you simply moisten and fold over your address on the front of the diary to seal.  Tape it if you wish, but be sure that the back flap of the diary covers your name and address label.

I dislike my name/address showing on the diary. 
Please do not tear the label off.  Cross out your name, if you wish.  We need the mailing information to properly identify the viewing in your area.  We do not disclose the names of any households that participate in our surveys.

What happens to my TV diaries after I mail them back to Nielsen?
Information from your diary is combined with that from other homes in the survey to produce reports about TV viewing.  By combining the information, we report the number of homes that watch TV programs without ever identifying any individual home.