How do TV ratings work?: TV ratings demystified

For more than 50 years, television has been the medium of choice for many. From the beginning, it was decided that it would be a free form of entertainment, while commercial breaks served as the source of revenue for networks. Of course, companies want the biggest bang for their advertising buck; they want to reach the largest audience, whose members are potential consumers. With that in mind, have you ever wondered why some shows remain on …

…television markets every November, February, May, and July, and is commonly referred to as "sweeps." Wanting the best results to show advertisers, networks usually schedule the most appealing episodes of their shows during that period, and pull out all the stops, like high-profile celebrity guest appearances and blockbuster feature films. With commercial interests becoming more important to the entertainment industry with each passing year, the TV ratings system is not about to gently wither away.