Keep in mind this is from a story driven by TiVo PR, and that TiVo users are only about 10% of the nation’s DVR owners, and quite likely have different usage patterns.
The fact that fewer people might DVR Leno vs. the NBC 10pm hour last season would tend to relatively boost NBC’s 10pm Live+SD ratings, which is what we (and everybody else) typically reports except in stories specifically about DVR viewing. Reducing DVR viewing of the 10pm hour was one of NBC’s stated objectives with The Jay Leno Show.
Time-shifted viewing of NBC’s “The Jay Leno Show” among TiVo users is below the network’s year-ago levels for 10 p.m. programming, but it eats more into the network’s 11 p.m. viewership, including “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” according to DVR pioneer TiVo Inc.
After two weeks on the air, an average of 46% of the show’s TiVo subscriber audience opted to record it and watch it later, it found. That compares to an average of 70% of time-shifted viewing of NBC programs in the 10 p.m. slot last season. This has also resulted in less time-shifting for NBC thus far this season at 10 p.m. when compared with other broadcast networks, TiVo said.
via THR.com.
If I TiVo Leno I watch it at exactly 11:35. Take that, Conan
So NBC doesn’t want people to TiVo/DVR the 10 p.m. Instead, they’d prefer people just to NOT watch? That makes no sense. Law & Order: SVU got higher ratings in the 10 p.m. slot, regardless of TiVo/DVR. Yes, Jay Leno may be cheaper to be produced, but isn’t the point of ratings to get as much eyes on the screen to sell as much ad time as possible. I understand people skip through ads during DVR runs, but I guarantee they’re not sitting there in high anticipation for Jay Leno’s return from commercial break.