Last week Netflix published its most detailed set of viewing data to date. Prompted partly by the deal terms emerging from the WGA strike negotiations (which include a clause on ‘Streaming data transparency’) and partly by expectations from advertisers, who are unlikely to agree with
The BBC used to do (and probably still does do) research into what people wanted to hear on the radio and watch on TV. When asked what they wanted on the radio, the answer was always “more music”, but when asked their favourite radio show the top answer was always (at that time) “Terry Wogan” - who was famous for his loquacious chat, interrupted by the occasional popular tune. In other words, people can only tell you what they think they want when you survey them, but their actual behaviour will often be very different to that and is a better reflection of what’s actually “popular” at any point in time. None of this, of course, helps people trying to survey their way to a new format (in any medium).
The BBC used to do (and probably still does do) research into what people wanted to hear on the radio and watch on TV. When asked what they wanted on the radio, the answer was always “more music”, but when asked their favourite radio show the top answer was always (at that time) “Terry Wogan” - who was famous for his loquacious chat, interrupted by the occasional popular tune. In other words, people can only tell you what they think they want when you survey them, but their actual behaviour will often be very different to that and is a better reflection of what’s actually “popular” at any point in time. None of this, of course, helps people trying to survey their way to a new format (in any medium).