The present invention relates generally to a very sophisticated system and software to collect a large range of hybrid user dam in relation to viewing of video content on any viewing platforms including television, online and other forms systems available on a real-time basis. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and software for hybrid data collection and storage for large numbers of different data types and complex output analyses instantaneously. Further, because of the single source of the user data, system data outputs are already, and uniquely, in a verified (and validated) form and there are no requirements of additional verification or validations procedures such as identity (or device) graphing.

Embodiments provide methods and systems for creating virtual audiences and for facilitating remote audience participation. An example embodiment for creating a virtual audience begins by providing a digital feed from a performance area to a remotely located audience. In turn, such a method receives feedback from the remotely located audience and provides an output at the performance area corresponding to at least a portion of the received feedback.

Embodiments provide methods and systems for creating virtual audiences and for facilitating remote audience participation. An example embodiment for creating a virtual audience begins by providing a digital feed from a performance area to a remotely located audience. In turn, such a method receives feedback from the remotely located audience and provides an output at the performance area corresponding to at least a portion of the received feedback.

System and methods for determining second-by-second viewing activity and viewing metrics associated with video assets output by a plurality of video-viewing devices. The viewing activity may include a viewing mode by which one or more video viewing devices output a segment of a video asset. The viewing metrics may include a viewing count for a segment of the video asset that is associated with a viewing mode by which the one or more video viewing devices output the video segment. These metrics provide detailed information on customer viewing behavior which can be used to drive business decisions for service providers, advertisers, and content producers.

System and methods for determining second-by-second viewing activity and viewing metrics associated with video assets output by a plurality of video-viewing devices. The viewing activity may include a viewing mode by which one or more video viewing devices output a segment of a video asset. The viewing metrics may include a viewing count for a segment of the video asset that is associated with a viewing mode by which the one or more video viewing devices output the video segment. These metrics provide detailed information on customer viewing behavior which can be used to drive business decisions for service providers, advertisers, and content producers.

An example apparatus includes a meter to generate first information indicative of a media presentation mode of a media presentation application executed by a wireless communication device during a presentation of the media content received and presented via the wireless communication device, the media content comprising scheduled programming that is broadcasted or multicasted simultaneously to a plurality of other wireless communication devices during a pre-scheduled time; and generate second information indicative of the media content presented via the wireless communication device. A memory is to store the first information in association with the second information in the wireless communication device; and store third information in association with the first and second information. The third information is indicative of at least one of a location of a cell tower used to transmit the media content, an identifier of the cell tower, or an identifier of a wireless network access point.

An example apparatus includes a meter to generate first information indicative of a media presentation mode of a media presentation application executed by a wireless communication device during a presentation of the media content received and presented via the wireless communication device, the media content comprising scheduled programming that is broadcasted or multicasted simultaneously to a plurality of other wireless communication devices during a pre-scheduled time; and generate second information indicative of the media content presented via the wireless communication device. A memory is to store the first information in association with the second information in the wireless communication device; and store third information in association with the first and second information. The third information is indicative of at least one of a location of a cell tower used to transmit the media content, an identifier of the cell tower, or an identifier of a wireless network access point.

An information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present technology acquires a viewing log of a content item including at least one of a moving image or a sound, acquires display data representing details of the content item at each time, and displays a chart representing a transition of a viewing state of the content item specified on the basis of the viewing log, and the display data representing details of the content item at each time in a time zone for which the transition of the viewing state is represented by the chart, on a screen that is one and the same. The present technology can be applied to a system used for monitoring the viewing state of the content item.

Methods and apparatus to calibrate media ratings based on return path data are disclosed. An apparatus includes programmable circuitry to execute machine readable instructions to: determine a subscriber calibration factor for media based on first panel tuning information obtained from first metering devices in first panelist households that subscribe to a content provider that provides media through return path data (RPD) devices; determine a nonsubscriber calibration factor for the media based on second panel tuning information obtained from second metering devices in second panelist households that do not subscribe to the content provider; and determine a final rating for the media based on an initial rating and at least one of the subscriber calibration factor or the nonsubscriber calibration factor, the initial rating based on RPD tuning information obtained from RPD devices in subscriber households that subscribe to the content provider.

A method is disclosed for monitoring the audience of an advertisement over a content distribution system, the advertisement comprising an advertising message associated with an audio content. The method comprises: inserting, within the message, an advertising identifier associated with the advertisement and distributing the audio content with the advertising message to a user of the content distribution system; at a first user device configured to receive the audio content, playing the audio content with the advertising message; at a second user device connected to the first user device and configured to communicate with a data collection server over a data communication network, retrieving a customer identifier uniquely associated with the user; and, during or after playing, sending by the second user device the customer identifier and the advertising identifier extracted from the advertising message to the server to monitor the audience of the advertising message.