According to the New York Times (reg. req.), Nielsen Media (the television ratings company) is under fire from minority groups because planned changes in its rating measurements will allegedly undercount minority viewers (Planned Nielsen Changes Criticized):

THE N.A.A.C.P. and leading members of Congress from both parties, including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, have added their voices to the growing number complaining that the proposed changes in how Nielsen gathers local television ratings will drastically undercount the number of black and Hispanic viewers.

The reasons for this alleged undercount are unknown.

This not the first time that the Nielsen's have been criticized for undercounting minority audiences, in fact it has been a consistent theme for a number of years. Of course, Nielsen is a private corporation, and no one can force Nielsen to use particular means and methods of measurement. Prominent politicians like Clinton and the head of the NAACP can complain and try to influence Nielsen, but there is not much they can do legally. Nielsen isn't perfect, but it is a business and must respond to business pressures. The broadcasters and cable channels that purchase Nielsen ratings are also businesses that must be responsive to the public.

So what happens in a government-mandated alternative compensation system that includes ratings? Often, these systems claim that they will reward artists based on some sort of Nielsen-like rating system. Will Nielsen still be independent then? Will Clinton, rather than simply complain, pass laws telling Nielsen how it will count the audience for particular works? If a large percentage of artist compensation is coming through a government-mandated system, will that system be able to remain independent of politics?

Would you want the FCC in charge of determing size of audience?

via boingboing