For the first time since we’ve been compiling these numbers (since 9/07) a prime-time broadcast show had more than a 50% increase over its Live audience in Live+7 viewing as CW’s 90210 had a 50.4% increase over its Live audience in Live+7 viewing. Rounding out the top 10 for largest % increase via DVR viewing were Office, Heroes, Lipstick Jungle x2, House, Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, America’s Top Model and Private Practice.
For the week of October 27 – November 2, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy yet again had the largest audience via DVR viewing with 4.089 million viewers via DVRs. CBS’s House was second with a DVR viewing audience of 3.776 million. Rounding out the top ten for the largest DVR audiences were Office, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Heroes, Survivor:Gabon, Criminal Minds, NCIS and The Mentalist.
Although we know now that DVR viewing past the airdate is entirely meaningless to the show’s advertising revenue and likely its ultimate success, we like seeing the trends regardless.
Note: Due to inexplicably missing LIVE data, the Wednesday night half hour Obama paid ad on NBC, CBS, Fox and Univision does not appear in these tables.
Largest Time-Shifting Audiences for Broadcast TV Shows:
| Rank | Programs | Network | Persons Live+7 (000s) | Persons Live (000s) | Time-shifted Audience (000s) | % increase from Live to Live+7 |
| 1 | GREY’S ANATOMY | ABC | 17,609 | 13,520 | 4,089 | 30.2% |
| 2 | HOUSE | FOX | 15,461 | 11,685 | 3,776 | 32.3% |
| 3 | OFFICE | NBC | 11,012 | 7,809 | 3,203 | 41.0% |
| 4 | CSI | CBS | 21,263 | 18,166 | 3,097 | 17.0% |
| 5 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 17,476 | 14,646 | 2,830 | 19.3% |
| 6 | HEROES | NBC | 9,681 | 6,949 | 2,732 | 39.3% |
| 7 | SURVIVOR: GABON | CBS | 13,974 | 11,469 | 2,505 | 21.8% |
| 8 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 15,497 | 13,020 | 2,477 | 19.0% |
| 9 | NCIS | CBS | 18,468 | 16,050 | 2,418 | 15.1% |
| 10 | THE MENTALIST | CBS | 17,533 | 15,256 | 2,277 | 14.9% |
| 11 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 9,239 | 7,226 | 2,013 | 27.9% |
| 12 | 30 ROCK | NBC | 9,655 | 7,665 | 1,990 | 26.0% |
| 13 | AMAZING RACE 13 | CBS | 10,272 | 8,519 | 1,753 | 20.6% |
| 14 | NUMB3RS | CBS | 12,013 | 10,285 | 1,728 | 16.8% |
| 15 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 19,552 | 17,833 | 1,719 | 9.6% |
| 16 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 10,669 | 8,954 | 1,715 | 19.2% |
| 17 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 10,779 | 9,078 | 1,701 | 18.7% |
| 18 | E.R. | NBC | 10,308 | 8,680 | 1,628 | 18.8% |
| 19 | CHUCK | NBC | 7,473 | 5,892 | 1,581 | 26.8% |
| 20 | SIMPSONS | FOX | 12,990 | 11,411 | 1,579 | 13.8% |
The absolute time-shifting audience size table ranks which of the Top 150 broadcast shows [by Live+7 viewers] had the largest absolute number of viewers watching shows later on their digital video recorders (DVRs)
Greatest % Increase from Time-Shifting for Broadcast TV Shows:
| Rank | Programs | Network | Persons Live+7 (000s) | Persons Live (000s) | Time-shifted Audience (000s) | % increase from Live to Live+7 |
| 1 | 90210 | CW | 3,803 | 2,528 | 1,275 | 50.4% |
| 2 | OFFICE | NBC | 11,012 | 7,809 | 3,203 | 41.0% |
| 3 | HEROES | NBC | 9,681 | 6,949 | 2,732 | 39.3% |
| 4 | LIPSTICK JUNGLE | NBC | 4,061 | 2,929 | 1,132 | 38.6% |
| 5 | HOUSE | FOX | 15,461 | 11,685 | 3,776 | 32.3% |
| 6 | GOSSIP GIRL | CW | 3,427 | 2,620 | 807 | 30.8% |
| 7 | GREY’S ANATOMY | ABC | 17,609 | 13,520 | 4,089 | 30.2% |
| 8 | LIPSTICK JUNGLE 10/29(S) | NBC | 5,960 | 4,637 | 1,323 | 28.5% |
| 9 | AMERICA’S TOP MODE | CW | 4,320 | 3,373 | 947 | 28.1% |
| 10 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 9,239 | 7,226 | 2,013 | 27.9% |
| 11 | CHUCK | NBC | 7,473 | 5,892 | 1,581 | 26.8% |
| 12 | PRIVILEGED | CW | 2,243 | 1,772 | 471 | 26.6% |
| 13 | SMALLVILLE | CW | 4,991 | 3,957 | 1,034 | 26.1% |
| 14 | 30 ROCK | NBC | 9,655 | 7,665 | 1,990 | 26.0% |
| 15 | ONE TREE HILL | CW | 3,560 | 2,842 | 718 | 25.3% |
| 16 | MY NAME IS EARL | NBC | 7,076 | 5,750 | 1,326 | 23.1% |
| 17 | SUPERNATURAL | CW | 4,070 | 3,314 | 756 | 22.8% |
| 18 | PUSHING DAISIES | ABC | 7,526 | 6,130 | 1,396 | 22.8% |
| 19 | SURVIVOR: GABON | CBS | 13,974 | 11,469 | 2,505 | 21.8% |
| 20 | THE GAME | CW | 1,403 | 1,157 | 246 | 21.3% |
The % Time-shifting table ranks which of the Top 150 broadcast shows [by Live+7 viewers] had the largest % increase in viewing between Live audience and Live+7 audience numbers from viewers watching shows later on their digital video recorders (DVRs).
Definitions:
Time Shifted Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs which are currently in approximately 24.4% of all U.S. TV households. Live+Same Day (Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
For more information see Numbers 101.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data:©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Wow. I know that DVR viewership doesn’t mean *a lot,* but 9.6 million for 30 Rock is great.
I don’t think this looks good for Heroes. Even with DVR they cannot crack 10 million viewers now?
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I wonder if the new writing team can bring some coherence back to that program. I quit watching, and I guess some Nielsen families did too
This data would have been the week of The Simpsons’ “Treehouse of Horror,” yes? Their Halloween episodes are always fun.
Julia — I deleted your comment (and mine) only because before dashing out for the day, Bill fixed the post. Clutz, yeah, Heroes is down by all metrics, with DVR, without DVR, throw in the downloads…it doesn’t matter. Down, and based on last night’s numbers (which I’ll post soon) the bleeding seems to have stopped, but it’s not like any old viewers came back to watch the show either.
yes the annual Treehouse of Horror aired on 11/2 and is the episode of The Simpsons included above.
No prob, Robert.
Chuck did great!! Love that show.
Why there’s no Prison Break or TSCC?
Dexter, I don’t believe they were broadcast that week.
Oh, I forgot, that week indeed there was no PB and TSCC. Thank you for reminding.
Still Heroes needs to get those people watching live: the numbers would be much better. Though still pretty low.
Wait why does it say 6.95 on the live didn’t you put like 7.83 on the veiwership????
Fin, The daily numbers Robert and Bill post are Live+Same Day. Usually around 40-50% of DVR viewing is included in the daily numbers (more for reality shows, less for 10 pm shows).
Oh
ewh i HATE 90210.
gossip girl ALL THE WAY.
I wonder how these statistics compares to iTunes downloads for the same shows.
Adam: your answer is here:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/11/18/approximately-speaking-nobody-downloads-heroes-from-itunes/8403
I’m new to this board so forgive what may be a stupid question (and one that nobody can answer) but why do networks still care so much about live viewing numbers in an era of DVR and online viewing. Seems to me that Pushing Daisies has shown up on this list each week that it has been on, and with decent time shifted numbers. Doesn’t this mean anything? Cable shows bring in 3 million and seem ok with that. When are the networks going to realize they aren’t the cool kids on the block anymore and lower expectations? Seems to me 7 million is a pretty good number. Just curious…
Shawn, the simplest answer is that the way it shakes out is that most of the bills are still paid via Live viewing. Television is advertising supported. Most DVR viewers don’t watch the ads. Services like Hulu have 4-6 ads vs. more than 30 on a TV show, so they haven’t figured out how to make nearly as money on it.
Plus, for now, most of the viewing is still live. 90210 increased live viewing by 50% but that still means 2/3rds watched live, and one third watched via DVR. Sanctioned online viewing for now is less than DVR viewing based on available data.
Thanks. I had no idea the DVR percentage was still that low. I have been DVRing for many years (ReplayTV before it was cool) so just assumed that number was higher. Bummer.