We are in the midst of “television sweeps” and local TV stations are doing everything they can to boost their audience. That’s because ad rates for the rest of the year are set on sweeps ratings. So, television companies try to outdo themselves with sensational stories in February, May and November - the major sweeps times. But there is a change coming thanks to a technology that may flip that system on its head. LPM (Local People Meter) is starting to go live in some cities already and will be launched in all major markets by the end of 2006. LPM will allow stations to get actual measurements on what people are watching. And it will mean good television programs throughout the year. It’s already happening in Boston, New York, LA, Chicago and San Francisco. It comes to Washington D.C., and Philadelphia this summer. Then, by the end of the next year, Detroit, Dallas and Atlanta will start using LPM. Networks won’t have to run its hot shows up against other network shows and new shows will launch anytime of the year. We’ll see what happens.