M&E Journal: Artfully Forecasting Intelligent Ratings With Artificial Intelligence

As we look to the future to TV advertising, one thing is certain: Broadcast networks have had a difficult time fighting the powers of choice and it is this choice that has shaped a new television landscape where audiences can now enjoy a plethora of platforms. Competition for viewers has challenged traditional content owners and distributors as well as traditional advertisers, as all have experienced an erosion of audience. Broadcasters have had to "guarantee" ratings to keep their advertising rates, relying on a forecasted rating to demonstrate viewership of a particular show. Most efforts in forecasting, however, have not been reliable, let alone validated. From the simple empirical model, to regression models, to the even more sophisticated Bayesian model-averaging methods, several ratings forecasting providers have come and gone.