Going on Vacation
The timing of the diary survey is very important and there are certain guidelines we must follow for when diary keeping should begin and end.  Beginning on the inside cover please the following in complete Steps 1-5.   Using a pen or pencil, fill in the following:

• Fill in the name, age, sex, and number of hours worked for each household member (Step 3)

• Answer all of the questions in the front of the diary

• Place a check mark in the "Everyone is away all week" box in Step 1.

• Write any comments you would like to make in the comment section on the last page

• Write in your correct address, if the address on the front cover is incorrect

IMPORTANT . . . When we receive a diary back with blank diary pages without a vertical line down the "TV OFF" column and no message of what happened, we have no way to determine if there was any TV viewing for those days.  This could result in us not being able to use your information.  It is always helpful to us if you write notes in the diary to tell us what happened.


What if we'll be on a vacation?
Your diary is still very important because it shows how many people did not, or could not, watch TV during the survey week.  Please refer to the information above and return all diaries.


We will be on a vacation, should we keep a diary of what we watch while on vacation?
If you are not at the residence address during the diary week, please note in the diary "no TV viewing occurred on these days-away on vacation" on those pages.  The diary is designed to measure TV viewing at the residence it was sent to.  It is not for places you may go to while away from home (e.g., hotels, airplanes, etc.) as other TV channels may be received at those locations and that viewing may not represent what you would normally view at home.


We will be away on vacation for part of the week, what should I do?
If all household members were away for only part of the survey week, please fill out the diary as indicated above.  For those days or hours that you were not at home, please mark an "X" in the "TV OFF" column and write "On Vacation" in the "Name of Program or Movie" column.  Draw a vertical line down the "TV OFF" and "Name of Program or Movie" columns to indicate how long you were on vacation.  Begin diary keeping as you normally would from the time you returned home.  If you are still confused, please call our toll-free telephone number: 1-800-237-8611, 7 days a week, 9:00 AM to 12:00 Midnight EST.


Diary Arrived Late

What do I do if the diary arrives late?
A diary is considered late if you receive it in the mail after the Thursday start date printed on the cover.  Please call our toll-free telephone number 1-800-237-8611 for instructions on how to proceed.  It is helpful to us if you write notes in the diary to tell us what happened.  IMPORTANT . . . If we receive a diary back with blank viewing pages without a vertical line down the "TV SET OFF" column and no message of what happened, we have no way of determining TV usage for those particular days.  This could result in us not being able to use your information.  If you did not receive a diary at all from us, unfortunately we cannot mail another one.  However, we would encourage you to participate if you are telephoned again in the future.
 

Diary Destroyed/Lost/Forgotten

What should I do if my diary was destroyed or lost?
If your diary is destroyed or lost, unfortunately we cannot mail another one.  However, we would encourage you to please participate in any future surveys we may contact you about.


What should I do if I forgot to complete my diary?
Call the 800 number, there may still be time to participate!!  Please call our toll-free telephone number: 1-800-237-8611, 7 days a week, 9:00 AM to 12:00 Midnight EST.