A method performed by a processor that is to execute an operating system, a personal computer video application , an application programming interface , a handler , and a meter , the method comprising: re-directing, by the handler, a subset of function calls made by the personal computer video application to the application programming interface, wherein the handler only re-directs function calls useful for monitoring TV viewing by the user, and wherein other function calls are directly exchanged between the personal computer video application and the application programming interface; forwarding, by the handler, the re-directed function calls to the application programming interface and passing, to the meter, corresponding copies of the re-directed function calls; determining, by the handler and by the meter, which of the re-directed function calls are an event of interest, wherein re-directed function calls which correspond to a command to display textual information on a display are determined to be an event of interest by comparing the parameters of the respective re-directed function call with a character string corresponding to at least one of a channel name, a channel number, or a television program name; for re-directed function calls which are an event of interest: passing, by the handler, parameters of the particular re-directed function call to the meter; and decoding, by the meter, information corresponding to the particular re-directed function call re-directed to the meter by the handler and creating a log entry based on the decoded information and at least one of time-of-day, day-of-week, and user identification data. re-directing, by the handler, a subset of function calls made by the personal computer video application to the application programming interface, wherein the handler only re-directs function calls useful for monitoring TV viewing by the user, and wherein other function calls are directly exchanged between the personal computer video application and the application programming interface; forwarding, by the handler, the re-directed function calls to the application programming interface and passing, to the meter, corresponding copies of the re-directed function calls; determining, by the handler and by the meter, which of the re-directed function calls are an event of interest, wherein re-directed function calls which correspond to a command to display textual information on a display are determined to be an event of interest by comparing the parameters of the respective re-directed function call with a character string corresponding to at least one of a channel name, a channel number, or a television program name; for re-directed function calls which are an event of interest: passing, by the handler, parameters of the particular re-directed function call to the meter; and decoding, by the meter, information corresponding to the particular re-directed function call re-directed to the meter by the handler and creating a log entry based on the decoded information and at least one of time-of-day, day-of-week, and user identification data. passing, by the handler, parameters of the particular re-directed function call to the meter; and decoding, by the meter, information corresponding to the particular re-directed function call re-directed to the meter by the handler and creating a log entry based on the decoded information and at least one of time-of-day, day-of-week, and user identification data. <EOS>