METHODS AND APPARATUS TO VERIFY CONSUMPTION OF PROGRAMMING CONTENT

1 . A method, comprising:

populating a data structure stored at a media device with first identifying data associated with media received at the media device in connection with a first content stream and not presented by the media device in real time;

determining whether an audience member was exposed to the media in a time-shifted manner by comparing the first identifying data of the data structure stored at the media device to second identifying data obtained from a second content stream received at the media device subsequent to the first content stream; and

when the first and second identifying data match, verifying time-shifted exposure of the audience member to the media by sending an index identifier assigned to the media to a data collection facility.

2 . A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising, when the first and second identifying data do not match, populating the data structure with the second identifying data.

3 . A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising, when the first and second identifying data match, sending a time at which the media was presented to the data collection facility.

4 . A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the index identifier is stored in a second data structure at the media device.

5 . A method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the second data structure is received at the media device from a content provider.

6 . A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media device is a personal video recorder in communication with a media presentation device.

7 . A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first identifying data comprises at least one of an audio signature, a video signature, an audio code, a video code, a digital identifier, or a portion of the media.

8 . A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disc having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

populate data structure stored at a media device with first identifying data associated with media received at the media device in connection with a first content stream and not presented by the media device in real time;

determine whether an audience member was exposed to the media in a time-shifted manner by comparing the first identifying data of the data structure stored at the media device to second identifying data obtained from a second content stream received at the media device subsequent to the first content stream; and

when the first and second identifying data match, verify time-shifted exposure of the audience member to the media by sending an index identifier assigned to the media to a data collection facility.

9 . A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to, when the first and second identifying data do not match, populate the data structure with the second identifying data.

10 . A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to, when the first and second identifying data match, sending a time at which the media was presented to the data collection facility.

11 . A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 8 , wherein the index identifier is stored in a second data structure at the media device.

12 . A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 11 , wherein the second data structure is received at the media device from a content provider.

13 . A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 8 , wherein the media device is a personal video recorder in communication with a media presentation device.

14 . A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 8 , wherein the first identifying data comprises at least one of an audio signature, a video signature, an audio code, a video code, a digital identifier, or a portion of the media.

15 . A video recorder located at a household, comprising:

a library generator to populate data structure stored at a media device with first identifying data associated with media received at the media device in connection with a first content stream and not presented by the media device in real time;

a comparator to determine whether an audience member was exposed to the media in a time-shifted manner by comparing the first identifying data of the data structure stored at the media device to second identifying data obtained from a second content stream received at the media device subsequent to the first content stream; and

a processor to when the first and second identifying data match, verify time-shifted exposure of the audience member to the media by sending an index identifier assigned to the media to a data collection facility.

16 . A video recorder as defined in claim 15 , wherein the library generator is to when the first and second identifying data do not match, populate the data structure with the second identifying data.

17 . A video recorder as defined in claim 15 , wherein the processor is to, when the first and second identifying data match, send a time at which the media was presented to the data collection facility.

18 . A video recorder as defined in claim 15 , wherein the index identifier is stored in a second data structure at the media device.

19 . A video recorder as defined in claim 18 , wherein the second data structure is received at the media device from a content provider.

20 . A video recorder as defined in claim 15 , wherein the first identifying data comprises at least one of an audio signature, a video signature, an audio code, a video code, a digital identifier, or a portion of the media.