Methods and apparatus to estimate ratings for media assets using social media

1. A method to estimate ratings for a first media asset, the method comprising:

accessing, by executing an instruction with a processor, media exposure data and social media activity data corresponding to a plurality of media assets in a media bundle, the media assets included in the media bundle having audience demographics that overlap with the first media asset;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a first credibility factor for the first media asset and average exposure for social media activity count values for respective ones of the media assets in the media bundle based on the media exposure data and the social media activity data;

applying, by executing an instruction with the processor, the first credibility factor to an average exposure per social media activity count value determined for the first media asset to estimate the ratings for the first media asset;

wherein the determining of the average exposure for the media assets in the media bundle includes:

calculating an average number of views per social media activity count at a media asset level for respective ones of the media assets included in the media bundle; and

calculating an average number of views per social media activity count at a media bundle level;

calculating an unbiased estimator of an expected value based on a ratio of (1) social media activity counts at the episode level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the episode level, and the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level, and (2) a number of episodes of the media bundle associated with historical viewership information and social media activity counts; and

calculating an unbiased estimator of an expected variance based on a ratio of (1) social media activity counts at the media asset level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the media bundle level and the unbiased estimator of the expected value, and (2) social media activity counts at the media asset level and social media activity counts at the media bundle level.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including calculating the first credibility factor for the first media asset based on the social media activity count at the media asset level, the unbiased estimator of the expected variance and the unbiased estimator of the expected value.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including selecting the media assets to include in the media bundle based on an audience of the first media asset.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the determining of the average exposure for the media assets in the media bundle includes:

calculating the average number of views per social media activity count at the episode level for respective ones of the media assets included in the media bundle;

calculating the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level for respective ones of the media assets included in the media bundle; and

calculating an average number of views per social media activity count at a media bundle level.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the calculating of the average number of views per social media activity count at the episode level includes determining a ratio of viewership information for a first episode of the first media asset and a social media activity count associated with the first episode.

6. The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the calculating of the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level includes:

identifying episodes of the first media asset associated with historical viewership information and a social media activity count; and

aggregating viewership information for the identified episodes;

aggregating social media activity counts for the identified episodes; and

determining a ratio of the aggregated viewership information and the aggregated social media activity counts.

7. An apparatus to estimate ratings for a first media asset, the apparatus comprising:

a data filterer to access media exposure data and social media activity data corresponding to a plurality of respective media assets in a media bundle, the media assets included in the media bundle having audience demographics that overlap with the first media asset; and

a media ratings estimator to:

determine a first credibility factor for the first media asset and average exposure for social media activity count values for respective ones of the media assets in the media bundle based on the media exposure data and the social media activity data; and

apply the first credibility factor to an average exposure per social media activity count value determined for the first media asset to estimate the ratings for the first media asset;

an averages calculator to:

calculate an average number of views per social media activity count at an episode level for respective ones of the media assets included in the media bundle;

calculate an average number of views per social media activity count at a media asset level for respective ones of the media assets included in the media bundle; and

calculate an average number of views per social media activity count at a media bundle level;

an expected value calculator to calculate an unbiased estimator of an expected value based on a ratio of (1) social media activity counts at the episode level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the episode level, and the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level, and (2) a number of episodes of the media bundle associated with historical viewership information and social media activity counts; and

a variance calculator to calculate an unbiased estimator of an expected variance based on a ratio of (1) social media activity counts at the media asset level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the media bundle level and the unbiased estimator of the expected value, and (2) social media activity counts at the media asset level and social media activity counts at the media bundle level.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , further including a media credibility factor calculator to calculate the first credibility factor for the first media asset based on the social media activity count at the media asset level, the unbiased estimator of the expected variance and the unbiased estimator of the expected value.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , further including a media selector to select the media assets to include in the media bundle based on an audience of the first media asset.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the averages calculator is to calculate the average number of views per social media activity count at the episode level by determining a ratio of viewership information for a first episode of the first media asset and a social media activity count associated with the first episode.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the averages calculator is to calculate the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level by:

identifying episodes of the first media asset associated with historical viewership information and a social media activity count;

aggregating viewership information for the identified episodes;

aggregating social media activity counts for the identified episodes; and

determining a ratio of the aggregated viewership information and the aggregated social media activity counts.

12. A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

access media exposure data and social media activity data corresponding to a plurality of respective media assets in a media bundle, the media assets included in the media bundle having audience demographics that overlap with a first media asset;

determine a first credibility factor for the first media asset and average exposure for social media activity count values for respective ones of the media assets in the media bundle based on the media exposure data and the social media activity data;

apply the first credibility factor to an average exposure per social media activity count value determined for the first media asset to estimate ratings for the first media asset;

calculate an average number of views per social media activity count at an episode level for respective ones of the media assets included in the media bundle;

calculate an average number of views per social media activity count at a media asset level for respective ones of the media assets included in the media bundle;

calculate an average number of views per social media activity count at a media bundle level;

calculate an unbiased estimator of an expected value based on a ratio of (1) social media activity counts at the episode level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the episode level, and the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level, and (2) a number of episodes of the media bundle associated with historical viewership information and social media activity counts; and

calculate an unbiased estimator of an expected variance based on a ratio of (1) social media activity counts at the media asset level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level, the average number of views per social media activity count at the media bundle level and the unbiased estimator of the expected value, and (2) social media activity counts at the media asset level and social media activity counts at the media bundle level.

13. The tangible machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 12 , wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to calculate the first credibility factor for the first media asset based on the social media activity count at the media asset level, the unbiased estimator of the expected variance and the unbiased estimator of the expected value.

14. The tangible machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 12 , wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to select the media assets to include in the media bundle based on an audience of the first media asset.

15. The tangible machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 12 , wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to calculate the average number of views per social media activity count at the episode level by determining a ratio of viewership information for a first episode of the first media asset and a social media activity count associated with the first episode.

16. The tangible machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 12 , wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to calculate the average number of views per social media activity count at the media asset level by:

identifying episodes of the first media asset associated with historical viewership information and a social media activity count;

aggregating viewership information for the identified episodes;

aggregating social media activity counts for the identified episodes; and

determining a ratio of the aggregated viewership information and the aggregated social media activity counts.