It's hard to believe that TV research in the USA is only now producing audience data - the ratings - for TV commercials. For years US advertisers have had to "accept" the nonsense of TV program ratings as a surrogate. So all commercials get the same audience - what a nonsense, and every buyer has to go into denial about channel switching for live audiences and fast forwarding through the ads for recorded programs - more nonsense.

Now that advertisers are winning the argument, US vested interests are now delaying the effective introduction of commercial audience data, rasing artificial arguments about the definitions of live and recorded audiences.

It's time to call time on the prevaracation from the networks who want the highest numbers whilst the poor advertisers end up paying for commercial audiences that just aren't there.

Live audiences to commericals plus viewing of time shifted audiences replayed within 24 hours is what advertsisers can justifiably pay for and nothing more.