In calculating share, which formula is correctly applied?

The formula for calculating share is the number of viewers divided by HUTs (Households Using Television) at that time. Share represents the percentage of the total audience who chose to watch a specific program out of all the viewers who had their televisions on in a given timeframe.

Using the number of viewers in the numerator allows you to determine how many people watched the program compared to all the viewers watching television, which is represented by HUTs in the denominator. This calculation effectively shows the program's performance relative to the total viewing audience, which is essential for understanding its market share in a competitive broadcasting environment.

In contrast, other formulations do not accurately represent the concept of share. For instance, ratings measure the program's audience in relation to the total potential audience (households with televisions) rather than just those who are actively watching at a given time. Multiplying the number of viewers by HUTs does not yield any meaningful metric in the context of share, and dividing viewers by ratings could lead to an inaccurate interpretation of the performance among the total audience. Understanding how these terms interact is crucial for effective audience analysis in media planning and strategy development.