時下商業廣電媒體強調收視率，電視新聞台普遍相信依據「每分鐘收視率」報表，就可以了解在新聞播報過程中，觀眾何時決定收視或是離開；同時電視台認為透過每分鐘收視率資料，便可了解觀眾的人口統計學資料，以做為製作新聞的參考。但2007 年4 月間，「國家通訊傳播委員會」（NCC）已要求AGB 尼爾森公司不得再提供「每分鐘收視率」資料給台灣七家有線新聞台。本研究指出，電視台用「每分鐘收視率」資料來生產觀眾，然後再賣給廣告主，電視新聞的目的只是要製造觀眾，並使電視新聞成為收視率商品。更重要的是，由於「每分鐘收視率」已與媒體購買機制結合，使得新聞產製更無法離開收視率，進而形成收視率主宰電視新聞面貌最主要原因。

Broadcast emphasize ratings and look at the “minute-by-minute” ratings
reports in order to create highest-rated news. When TV audience is measured minute by minute, it was possible to figure out when viewers decided to leave or to come. And the demographics of the audience could be minutely examined. The National Communication Commission (NCC) in Taiwan didn’t allow AGB Nielsen to provide “minute-by-minute” data for 7 cables on April, 2007.
This study argues that broadcast coverage use “minute-by-minute”
ratings reports to manufacture audience. TV news coverage becomes ratings
commodity. Broadcast also use “minute-by-minute” ratings reports to manage
news content. More importantly, Ratings and profits are intimately
connected, that’s the reason why “minute-by-minute” ratings reports have
come to dominate.