#inauguration2017

I’m seeing a ton of people posting this copy-and-paste update about boycotting the inauguration by SWITCHING YOUR TELEVISION TO A DIFFERENT CHANNEL. It’s a nice thought and a nice gesture, but that WON’T WORK.

I’m not putting those things in all caps to yell at you, I just want to make sure you see it.

How TV Ratings Work:
Viewership is measured through Nielsen ratings. Unless you’re a “Nielsen family,” you don’t really count. Nielsen Family data is recorded through their Nielsen boxes, and then that data is gathered on a value curve to represent a larger audience.

Basically, no Nielsen box = no count.

Ratings are an estimate. It’s super archaic. But so is cable. That’s why viewer data is ALSO gathered through internet clicks and posts, interaction with online videos and social feeds, and streaming data.

How to REALLY Boycott the Inauguration:
Avoid online content. Avoid clicking on videos, avoid linking articles and tweets, avoid social feeds, avoid recaps. Even hate-watching a video or posting a link to add the comment, “An oil spill in the Pacific Ocean is better for humanity than this administration,” still counts toward viewer data. Your hate-click is still an added view, and it doesn’t come with a little asterisk next to it that says, “But this person loathed it and weeps for the future.”

So changing your channel is chill, and I recommend it! There is so much beautiful, amazing television! It’s a Golden Age of scripted content! But for god’s sake, don’t then go and negate your boycott by opening your Facebook and putting angry faces on a bunch of Trump videos.