A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including identifying a presentation of a first media item. From sensing data, a behavior of an audience member and a characteristic of an environment in a vicinity of the audience member are determined. A tuning status is monitored by which the media processor remains tuned to a first media item or tunes away to a second media item. A first correlation value is determined between the characteristic of the first audience member and subject matter of the first media item, and a second correlation value is determined between the characteristic of the first audience member and the characteristic of the environment. Responsive to the second correlation value exceeding the first, a determination is made that the environment, not the subject matter being presented in the first media item, is responsible for the tuning status. Other embodiments are disclosed.