ABSTRACT
Commercial audience research in the United States has changed substantially since its introduction in the 1930s. Throughout the 20th century, the research industry grew to include everything from small, boutique firms to large research corporations. New technologies developed for the distribution of news and entertainment; new methods of estimating media audiences advanced with them. These methods relied on advances in data collection and processing technology as well as modern statistical techniques to improve the collection and analysis of audience information. Advertisers and media organizations accepted the underlying assumptions of commercial research, but they remained vigilant to ensure improvements that would yield more consistent and reliable data.
