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As the measurement system has gone through different phases, there are several champions, each with different criteria. The first survey by the Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics (Ibope) took place in the year of TV’s debut in Brazil, in 1950. Until the end of the 1980s, it was carried out from door to door, by an employee. From 1991, the current system, called peoplemeter, began to function, with a device that scores the audience in real time. “One point is equivalent to 1% of the surveyed universe. In the case of Greater São Paulo, it represents 60,204 homes”, explains Adalgisa Rodrigues, director of operations at Ibope.
EVERYONE ON
The three programs considered Ibope champions, each in its own way
THE END OF THE SECRET
Attraction Chapter 152 of the soap opera “Selva de Pedra”
When 10/4/1972
average audience without measurement
This is from the time when research was done door to door. Of 100 households surveyed in Rio de Janeiro that night, 23 had their TV turned off. All the other 77 were watching the protagonist Simone Marques (Regina Duarte), who was posing as her sister, finally being unmasked.
A TRUE PHENOMENON
Attraction Brazil vs Türkiye football match
When 6/26/2002
average audience 71 points
The Brazilian team won this semifinal of the Japan-Korea World Cup with a goal by Ronaldo. The match came to yield peaks of 75 points. At that time, each point was equivalent to 47,000 households.
KISS OR NOT KISS?
Attraction Final chapter of the telenovela “América”
When 4/11/2005
average audience 66 points
Disregarding football, the best record in the peoplemeter system phase is the merit of soap opera Glória Perez. There were peaks of up to 70 points – in part, because of the expectation regarding the gay kiss between Júnior (Bruno Gagliasso) and Zeca (Erom Cordeiro).
CONSULTANCY Igor Sacramento, doctoral student in communication and culture at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and co-organizer of the book History of Television in Brazil.
SOURCES Books Life with TV – The Power of Television in Daily Lifeby Luiz Costa Pereira Júnior, and TV almanacby Bia Braune and Rixa Xavier.