Study shows DVRs increase TV viewership

Iria · Nov 18, 2005, 12:30 AM

A study released yesterday by the six major TV networks has analyzed the viewing habits of DVR owners. The report seeks to allay fears by advertisers that the rise in DVR use would lead to a drop in TV viewership, dooming the entire industry of advertising-sponsored broadcast television.

The report claimed that homes with a DVR watched 5.7 hours of television per day on average, compared to 5.1 hours for households without a DVR. Viewers with DVRs still watched 90 percent of their television live at the scheduled time of broadcast, with the remaining 10 percent as time-shifted programming. While 90 percent of DVR owners fast-forwarded through commercials, 58 percent of those paid attention to commercials in fast-forward mode, and 53 percent admitted to rewinding and watching a commercial that looked interesting.

The report did not address the use of 30-second forward skips to bypass advertising, nor did it mention open-source projects like the Linux-based MythTV that feature automatic advertising skips, where the entire commercial break is bypassed on playback.
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Read More / Source: Ars Technica

Nov 18, 2005, 12:30 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Study shows DVRs increase TV viewership A study released yesterday by the six major TV networks has analyzed the viewing habits of DVR owners. The report seeks to allay fears by advertisers that the rise in DVR use would lead to a drop in TV viewership, dooming the entire industry of advertising-sponsored broadcast television. The report claimed that homes with a DVR watched 5.7 hours of television per day on average, compared to 5.1 hours for households without a DVR. Viewers with DVRs still watched 90 percent of their television live at the scheduled time of broadcast, with the remaining 10 percent as time-shifted programming. While 90 percent of DVR owners fast-forwarded through commercials, 58 percent of those paid attention to commercials in fast-forward mode, and 53 percent admitted to rewinding and watching a commercial that looked interesting. The report did not address the use of 30-second forward skips to bypass advertising, nor did it mention open-source projects like the Linux-based MythTV that feature automatic advertising skips, where the entire commercial break is bypassed on playback. ____________ Read More / Source: Ars Technica