Barb Research is the organization that compiles television ratings and audience measurement in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1977 to replace previous rating systems used by ITV and the BBC. TV channels use Barb ratings to understand viewer numbers and demographics for different programs so they can advertise during popular time slots. An analysis of the top 30 programs across BBC One, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and other channels found that crime dramas made up a small portion of the most watched shows, with only a few crime shows or movies appearing on the various networks' lists.

1. Barb Research: By
Ben Everitt

2. • Barb stands for Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) is the
organisation that compiles audience measurement and television
ratings in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1977 to replace a
previous systems whereby ITV ratings were compiled by JICTAR (Joint
Industry Committee for Television Audience Research), whilst the BBC
did their own audience research.
What is it?

3. • TV channels use this information to get information on what number
of people watch each program at what Time. They can put adverts on
at that time so more of the public see what they are advertising.
Why it is useful?

4. BBC One Crime
• In the top 30 is only one crime drama amongst mostly soaps,
talk shows, news and sitcoms: Death Comes to Pemberly.
• It’s also a period drama, set 6 years after Pride and Prejudice.
It is clearly aimed at fans of the original book, reintroducing
many characters from the original story.

5. ITV Crime
There were no crime dramas in BBC Two’s top 30. ITV’s list
included two crime shows: Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders.
• Marple is usually broadcast as a TV movie, with only three
episodes airing last year. The episode in the top 30 aired a full
6 months after the previous episode.
• Midsomer Murders started in 1977 and has been running
since then. The episode in the top 30 was the first in a new
series which was starting almost a year after the precious one.

6. Channel 4 Crime
• Only one crime work was in the top 30 on Channel4: crime-
comedy film The Italian Job. This was the first released in the
1960’s and was shown on Saturday evening.

7. Channel 5 Crime
• Abduction was shown twice over the week and both times
entered into the top 3. This was probably aimed at a younger
audience because of the ‘Taylor Lautner’s’ teenage popularity.

8. Other Crime
• Mad Dog’s final episode received a wide viewership on Sky in
the other channels top 30. however, no others entered in the
other category.