ABC is at odds with Nielsen Media Research over a Sept. 27 clip show of the drama series Lost that Nielsen has counted as part of the show’s regular-season ratings. ABC officials say the show was a special that aired the week before the show’s season premiere and should not be included in Lost’s regular season-to-date ratings. The show only earned a 3.3 rating among adults 18-49 and only 9 million total viewers, compared to the first two episodes of the regular series this season, which recorded an average 7.3 in 18-49 and 17.8 million viewers. A Nielsen representative said the Sept. 27 episode aired in the regular Lost time period and Nielsen rules state that a clip show special must air in another time period, possibly preceding an actual series episode on the same night, for it to be considered a special episode of that series. Nielsen’s decision could create headaches for media agencies, which will have to filter out the clip show ratings when determining whether ABC ad package guarantees are met. Discussions are now taking place between Nielsen, which is owned by Mediaweek parent VNU, and ABC to try to resolve the matter.
MediaWeek
I still have not seen the second episode of this season, but the first one did not impress me much. They are adding too many new characters and I just don’t care to know about them all.
