I’ve read lots of anecdotal claims about when shows get watched on DVRs. Some have been the excuses of broadcast network execs about how they’re losing out to their own shows on DVR (instead of the 50%+ of the prime-time audience now watching cable). 10-11pm shows are said to be held to future days for viewing, one reason NBC gives for putting Jay Leno on at 10pm every weekday next season (although my guess is that Leno gets relatively light DVR viewing *and* live viewing). But I’ve never seen any numbers in public, so I ran some myself.
Overwhelmingly, the shows watched MOST via DVR on the same day they are broadcast are either reality shows or 8-9pm (Eastern) timeslot shows. On the flip side, the shows watched LEAST on the day they were broadcast are all 10-11pm (Eastern) timeslot shows.
Both of those findings make sense to me, folks have the time to watch early shows, but not later shows, and people want to find out “what happened” on a reality show because it’s time sensitive information they either want to talk about or fear having spoiled if they don’t already know.
I took the season to date DVR data through November 30, 2008 and selected the shows with at least 5% of their total viewing by DVR (below 5%, show numbers start getting atypical, the median broadcast primetime show has more than 10% of its viewing via DVR).
Here are the shows that have the HIGHEST percentage of their DVR viewing on the same day as they are broadcast (through 3AM the following day):
| Rank | Programs | Net | % of DVR Viewing On Airdate | Type |
| 1 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | 71.3% | reality |
| 2 | AMAZING RACE 13 | CBS | 69.0% | reality |
| 3 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 67.2% | 8-9pm |
| 4 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 65.5% | reality |
| 5 | BIG BANG THEORY, THE | CBS | 65.3% | 8-9pm |
| 6 | SURVIVOR: GABON | CBS | 65.0% | reality |
| 7 | KING OF THE HILL | FOX | 60.9% | 8-9pm |
| 8 | STYLISTA | CW | 59.6% | reality |
| 9 | BIGGEST LOSER 6 | NBC | 59.3% | reality |
| 10 | AMERICA’S TOP MODEL-5 | CW | 58.5% | reality |
| 11 | KATH & KIM | NBC | 58.3% | 8-9pm |
| 12 | SIMPSONS | FOX | 58.0% | 8-9pm |
| 13 | OLD CHRISTINE | CBS | 56.3% | 8-9pm |
| 14 | CHUCK | NBC | 55.6% | 8-9pm |
| 15 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 55.1% | |
| 16 | NCIS | CBS | 54.7% | |
| 17 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 54.1% | |
| 18 | OFFICE | NBC | 54.1% | |
| 19 | KITCHEN NIGHTMRS-THU 8P | FOX | 54.1% | reality, 8-9pm |
| 20 | GARY UNMARRIED | CBS | 53.5% | 8-9pm |
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Here are the shows that have the LOWEST percentage of their DVR viewing on the same day as they are broadcast (through 3AM the following day):
| Rank | Programs | Net | % of DVR Viewing On Airdate | Type |
| 1 | WITHOUT A TRACE | CBS | 24.0% | 10-11pm |
| 2 | LIPSTICK JUNGLE | NBC | 27.9% | 10-11pm |
| 3 | ELI STONE | ABC | 28.2% | 10-11pm |
| 4 | NUMB3RS | CBS | 28.8% | 10-11pm |
| 5 | LIFE ON MARS | ABC | 29.5% | 10-11pm |
| 6 | ELEVENTH HOUR | CBS | 29.7% | 10-11pm |
| 7 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 30.3% | 10-11pm |
| 8 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 30.8% | 10-11pm |
| 9 | CSI: NY | CBS | 31.4% | 10-11pm |
| 10 | MY OWN WORST ENEMY | NBC | 32.8% | 10-11pm |
| 11 | E.R. | NBC | 33.2% | 10-11pm |
| 12 | BOSTON LEGAL | ABC | 33.6% | 10-11pm |
| 13 | DIRTY SEXY MONEY | ABC | 33.9% | 10-11pm |
| 14 | LAW AND ORDER | NBC | 34.1% | 10-11pm |
| 15 | PRIVILEGED | CW | 34.4% | |
| 16 | LIFE | NBC | 34.4% | |
| 17 | EX LIST, THE | CBS | 35.3% | |
| 18 | KNIGHT RIDER-SAT | NBC | 35.5% | |
| 19 | UNIT, THE | CBS | 35.6% | |
| 20 | CRUSOE | NBC | 36.4% |
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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.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
you’ve never seen anything written in public? I’ve written about this topic at least five times! But never with the nice tables
Wow i would have thought one of the DVR kings ‘Heroes’ would have been there seeing as alot of its audience is DVR, compared to most shows it has more. Could you please tell me where it was?
Actually i just looked at the DVR thing (which i should have done first) and its like 41%.
I’ve had a dvr since 2006, I only watch sports live. Everything else I record then watch a few minutes late, so I can skip the ads…LOL. I wonder if others do this.
Johhny — definitely there are many DVR viewers who start watching ~20 minutes later so they can skip through all the ads. I’ve done that myself a time or 500.
Fin, Heroes had 46.7% of its DVR watching on airdate, in the middle of the pack somewhat closer to the “highest” group.
Hmm, I knew about the percentage of SD vs. 7 DVR viewers ‘Heroes’ has, but I was expecting it to be much higher on the list, due to its great water cooler factor. I believe that even ‘Lost’ is only at ~52%.
even the Lost season 4 finale was only 50%. That same week 60 Minutes SD% was almost 90%. almost nobody watched it on DVR, but almost everyone who did watched the same night.
demonhog, For scripted shows the data indicates that airtime almost entirely determines same-day DVR watching %. Perceived water cooler value seems to matter little. Reality shows are another matter. My theory about their spoilability driving their same day DVR watching really has no data behind it though.
I think high same-day DVR viewing for reality shows is because people like to skip all the boring parts. Reality shows tend to have those added segments and commentary to build “suspense” or just a filler. People DVR them specifically to cut out all that crap.
man! I wish I had access to the raw data. I could do some massive tables for you.
Interesting (though not surprising) info.
I’d be interested in wider demographics – older audiences especially. The focus of 18-49 is missing out(I would expect) on some serious wealthy ad audiences.
well…it took me a while to see this but interesting. I too was wondering where heroes placed, thanks for clarifying.