Our regular weekly DVR viewing feature that was on hiatus for lack of data is back! For the week of December 15-21, NBC’s Heroes had both the largest audience via DVR viewing with 4.239 million viewers via DVRs and the highest share of it’s overall viewing by DVR with 31.6% of all viewing by DVR.
CBS’s The Mentalist was second with a DVR viewing audience of 2.707 million. Rounding out the top ten for the largest DVR audiences were NCIS, Criminal Minds, Two and A Half Men, CSI: Miami, How I Met Your Mother, Private Practice, CSI:NY and Chuck.
Rounding out the top 10 for highest share of total audience viewing via DVR viewing were Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, Prison Break, Private Practice, Life, Chuck, My Own Worst Enemy, Dirty Sexy Money, Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone.
Those of you interested in DVR viewing numbers might enjoy Doing My Part To Combat DVR Misinformation.
Largest DVR Audiences for Broadcast TV Shows, December 15-21, 2008:
| Rank | Programs | Net | Persons Live+7 (000s) | Persons Live+SD (000s) | Persons Live (000s) | Same Day DVR Viewers (000s) | Live+7 DVR Viewers (000s) | % of All Viewing By DVR | % of DVR Viewing On Airdate |
| 1 | HEROES | NBC | 9,668 | 7,866 | 6,614 | 1,252 | 3,054 | 31.6% | 41.0% |
| 2 | MENTALIST, THE | CBS | 20,882 | 19,314 | 18,175 | 1,139 | 2,707 | 13.0% | 42.1% |
| 3 | NCIS | CBS | 21,327 | 19,937 | 18,701 | 1,236 | 2,626 | 12.3% | 47.1% |
| 4 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 16,717 | 15,160 | 14,235 | 925 | 2,482 | 14.8% | 37.3% |
| 5 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 19,120 | 17,915 | 16,756 | 1,159 | 2,364 | 12.4% | 49.0% |
| 6 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 15,899 | 14,560 | 13,997 | 563 | 1,902 | 12.0% | 29.6% |
| 7 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 12,184 | 11,371 | 10,387 | 984 | 1,797 | 14.7% | 54.8% |
| 8 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 7,780 | 6,610 | 6,077 | 533 | 1,703 | 21.9% | 31.3% |
| 9 | CSI: NY | CBS | 14,602 | 13,377 | 12,900 | 477 | 1,702 | 11.7% | 28.0% |
| 10 | CHUCK | NBC | 8,511 | 7,661 | 6,850 | 811 | 1,661 | 19.5% | 48.8% |
| 11 | NUMB3RS | CBS | 10,334 | 9,179 | 8,689 | 490 | 1,645 | 15.9% | 29.8% |
| 12 | BIG BANG THEORY, THE | CBS | 11,835 | 11,220 | 10,200 | 1,020 | 1,635 | 13.8% | 62.4% |
| 13 | GHOST WHISPERER | CBS | 10,950 | 10,181 | 9,405 | 776 | 1,545 | 14.1% | 50.2% |
| 14 | UNIT, THE | CBS | 9,323 | 8,244 | 7,843 | 401 | 1,480 | 15.9% | 27.1% |
| 15 | WITHOUT A TRACE | CBS | 15,523 | 14,475 | 14,062 | 413 | 1,461 | 9.4% | 28.3% |
| 16 | TERMINATOR: SRH CNR CHRON | FOX | 5,846 | 5,070 | 4,487 | 583 | 1,359 | 23.2% | 42.9% |
| 17 | PRISON BREAK | FOX | 6,155 | 5,368 | 4,803 | 565 | 1,352 | 22.0% | 41.8% |
| 18 | LIFE | NBC | 6,060 | 5,216 | 4,745 | 471 | 1,315 | 21.7% | 35.8% |
| 19 | BIGGEST LOSER 6 | NBC | 12,240 | 11,832 | 10,954 | 878 | 1,286 | 10.5% | 68.3% |
| 20 | COLD CASE | CBS | 12,674 | 12,005 | 11,509 | 496 | 1,165 | 9.2% | 42.6% |
The largest DVR audience size table ranks which of the Top 150 broadcast shows [by Live+7 viewers] had the largest absolute number of viewers watching shows at any time on their digital video recorders (DVRs)
Greatest % Of DVR Viewing for Broadcast TV Shows:
| Rank | Programs | Net | Persons Live+7 (000s) | Persons Live+SD (000s) | Persons Live (000s) | Same Day DVR Viewers (000s) | Live+7 DVR Viewers (000s) | % of All Viewing By DVR | % of DVR Viewing On Airdate |
| 1 | HEROES | NBC | 9,668 | 7,866 | 6,614 | 1,252 | 3,054 | 31.6% | 41.0% |
| 2 | TERMINATOR: SRH CNR CHRON | FOX | 5,846 | 5,070 | 4,487 | 583 | 1,359 | 23.2% | 42.9% |
| 3 | PRISON BREAK | FOX | 6,155 | 5,368 | 4,803 | 565 | 1,352 | 22.0% | 41.8% |
| 4 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 7,780 | 6,610 | 6,077 | 533 | 1,703 | 21.9% | 31.3% |
| 5 | LIFE | NBC | 6,060 | 5,216 | 4,745 | 471 | 1,315 | 21.7% | 35.8% |
| 6 | CHUCK | NBC | 8,511 | 7,661 | 6,850 | 811 | 1,661 | 19.5% | 48.8% |
| 7 | MY OWN WORST ENEMY | NBC | 4,528 | 3,922 | 3,670 | 252 | 858 | 18.9% | 29.4% |
| 8 | DIRTY SEXY MONEY | ABC | 5,894 | 5,129 | 4,780 | 349 | 1,114 | 18.9% | 31.3% |
| 9 | PUSHING DAISIES | ABC | 5,290 | 4,674 | 4,323 | 351 | 967 | 18.3% | 36.3% |
| 10 | ELI STONE | ABC | 5,964 | 5,151 | 4,874 | 277 | 1,090 | 18.3% | 25.4% |
| 11 | NUMB3RS | CBS | 10,334 | 9,179 | 8,689 | 490 | 1,645 | 15.9% | 29.8% |
| 12 | UNIT, THE | CBS | 9,323 | 8,244 | 7,843 | 401 | 1,480 | 15.9% | 27.1% |
| 13 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 16,717 | 15,160 | 14,235 | 925 | 2,482 | 14.8% | 37.3% |
| 14 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 12,184 | 11,371 | 10,387 | 984 | 1,797 | 14.7% | 54.8% |
| 15 | GHOST WHISPERER | CBS | 10,950 | 10,181 | 9,405 | 776 | 1,545 | 14.1% | 50.2% |
| 16 | BIG BANG THEORY, THE | CBS | 11,835 | 11,220 | 10,200 | 1,020 | 1,635 | 13.8% | 62.4% |
| 17 | CRUSOE | NBC | 2,637 | 2,399 | 2,281 | 118 | 356 | 13.5% | 33.1% |
| 18 | STYLISTA | CW | 1,525 | 1,396 | 1,323 | 73 | 202 | 13.2% | 36.1% |
| 19 | MUPPETS XMAS LTR TO SANTA(S) | NBC | 8,304 | 7,466 | 7,217 | 249 | 1,087 | 13.1% | 22.9% |
| 20 | MENTALIST, THE | CBS | 20,882 | 19,314 | 18,175 | 1,139 | 2,707 | 13.0% | 42.1% |
The % of Total viewing by DVR table ranks which of the Top 150 broadcast shows [by Live+7 viewers] had the largest % of viewing by DVR in their Live+7 audience numbers from viewers watching shows later on their digital video recorders (DVRs).
Definitions:
DVR (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.
Same Day DVR Viewers - How many people watched the show on their DVRs prior to 3AM the day following the airdate,
Live+7 DVR Viewers - How many people watched the show on their DVRs within 7 days following the airdate
% of All Viewing By DVR - Of the total viewing of that particular episode, what percentage was done via DVR.
% of DVR Viewing On Airdate - Of the DVR viewing of that particular episode, what percentage was done prior to 3AM the day following the airdate.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data:©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
well people are still watching Heroes, just not live.
Even Live+7 is several million less than Live+SD for season 1 and even season 2.
Which is to be expected. Sci-fi/fantasy shows always lose viewers from year-to-year as the mythology deepens and casual watchers start to get confused. The same ratings fall has happened with Lost, too.
Men men men men menly men men men
Easy to follow. Charlie likes to sleep with every woman he dates.
Pure and simple…and that is why “Two and a Half Men” does well.
I perfer “The Big Bang Theory.”
Chuck Lorie either way wins.
What happened? I thought y’all couldn’t get these numbers anymore. Any chance we could get the numbers for the weeks prior to these numbers?
james, we were able to get the numbers again. As to getting past numbers, I’m not going to push our luck.
I’m just happy the numbers are available again. Did Nielsen’s start giving the numbers again or did y’all find another source?
I figured it was a long shot in regards to the past numbers, but I had to ask.
@ Don
I completely agree. People like brainless entertainment they don’t have to think about at all. Look at The Mentalist. Biggest new show of 2008 and why? Because it’s star is considered attractive, and people can get into the same old procedural crap quickly.
The Mentalist is a good show lol and im a guy, so i dont watch it so i can stare at Simon Baker for a hour haha
Finally People are starting to watch the best show on Tv Life on NBC hands down the best show since house
EXATELY, WE DVR’D THIS EVERY MONDAY BECAUSE OF FOOTBALL. WE DO WANT IT BACK!!!!
Oh believe me Joan… it does.
See, I DVR Heroes all the time…even though half the time I watch it live also. So what almost 5 million more people with dvr…so that whole 8,9 million viewers for heroes is really like 13 to 14 million…plus people who just wait for the episode to be streamed online…this show better come back for 2009-2010!!! HERE for a season 4!!
Volume Four premieres next week..lets hope ratings are on the up!!