Watching television is one of the biggest pastimes around the world.
From catching the big game to getting hooked on drama series, watching television is a popular way to relax and unwind.
Experts say the average person watches an average of 4 hours per day - that would equal 2 straight months if watched back to back.
It's no wonder corporations are eager to advertise their products and service during commercial breaks; it's a huge business to the tune of 15 billion dollars per year for just the top 100 advertisers.
One of the leaders in researching the world's television watching behaviors is Nielson, an industry name many have heard of.
Taking into account hundreds of channels filled with thousands of programs, this television research company (as do other similar companies) collects data on participant's habits and preferences and deciphers it for usable market information that corporations around the world value.
Ahead of the times, Neilson founder, Arthur Nielsen, came up with the idea for the "audiometer" (the first television metering device) very early in the history of television, in 1938 when there were just 200 TV sets worldwide! In a nutshell, the unobtrusive device quietly runs in the background to record what is being watched and when.
In 1950, Neilson created the now-familiar national television measuring service to keep pace with the TV boom; by now the average household had one television set that tuned in three channels -- however, no remote controls yet! Today, according the Neilson, the average American household has 2.
93 televisions - that's more TVs than people.
With digital cable and satellite television, most people have up to 100 channels or more from which to choose programs.
In addition, computers and mobile device also offer a platform for watching programs.
People from all walks of life can sign up to join programs that allow companies like Neilson to monitor viewing habits across all platforms and receive compensation for their time.
Often online surveys and paid surveys are part of the data gathering process about how, why, when and what television is enjoyed by consumers.
Each time a consumer will take surveys for money and share television opinions, advertisers, television networks and other service providers gain valuable information that make the experience better for all.