matter_of_fact wrote:Not disputing the Nielsen ratings. They are what they are. It seems odd that Omaha, as the largest metropolitan area of MVC cities, ranks below Wichita/Hutchinson, Des Moines/Ames and Springfield. Based on the 2010 census, the Omaha metropolitan area was 234,000+ bigger than Wichita's metro area, 295,000+ bigger than Des Moines' metro area, and 428,000+ bigger than Springfield's metro area. It makes one wonder if the Omaha metropolitan area is somehow divided in the Nielsen media ratings.
TV markets are not equivalent to metro areas.
If this link is correct, Wichita's DMA includes pretty much all of west Kansas ... which I guess would make sense as I believe Wichita networks cover most of Kansas:
http://www.healthmediasyndicate.com/body.cfm?id=14 Meanwhile it seems like Lincoln is the DMA that gets credit for the rural majority of Nebraska, if I'm reading the map right.
I also don't think there is a direct correlation between population and number of TVs. I'm fairly certain Nielsen is the standard for market size, however, so I don't see much point in disagreeing with them.