Every day, more and more TV viewers are installing DVRs into their homes. These descendants of the VCR are becoming ubiquitous across the nation due to their ease of use, and the ability for people to record multiple programs in which they are interested in this ever increasingly fractured viewing universe. With the audience regularly time-shifting network programs away from their scheduled spots, thereby decreasing "live" ratings (and therefore ad revenue), even the networks have begun to incorporate DVR viewings into the official ratings. These "Live+7" numbers (live ratings plus any DVR viewings within seven days of the live broadcast) often boost lower-rated shows into respectable territory, especially since it is often people in the desired advertising demographic (18-49 yrs old) that most use DVRs.
In fact, since the introduction of Tivo and other cable-provider DVRs, the most popular shows for DVR use have been those shows that appeal to a younger, hipper crowd, usually those with a sci-fi bent. For example, Lost, Fringe, Chuck and Heroes all received major bumps in total ratings after DVR views were added, with the latter three often saved from cancellation because of the DVR number. Shows that are buzzed about, shows that require multiple viewing to pick up all the clues, shows that are in difficult time slots tend to be the most DVR friendly shows. Well, a bit of news has turned those characterizations on their ear.
On Monday, Nielsen (the official ratings folks) announced their final ratings numbers for the first week of the new fall season, and the most DVR'ed show was...Hawaii Five-0! This remake of a semi-successful 1970's cop procedural, that, while yes, received a bit of buzz, has no bankable stars, no deeper mysteries that require rewatches, and is in a relatively non-competitive time-slot, garnered 3.374 million additional viewers thanks to DVR usage. According to Nielsen, this was not only the most DVR'ed program of the week, it was the most
DVR'ed program ever. Adding this number to the show's live number of 14.213 million viewers, Hawaii Five-0 received a total of 17.587 million pairs of eyeballs, the highest-rated new show of the season, and a Top 10 show overall. Why, though, were there so many DVR viewers?
The head of CBS' research department, David Poltrack, thinks it is because Hawaii Five-0 is geared toward men (hello guns, explosions and Grace Park in a bikini), and airs against Monday Night Football, a large attention-grabber for men. While the game that aired that night specifically, New Orleans vs. San Francisco, didn't necessarily have national appeal (like last night's NY Jets vs. Minnesota "Return of Favre" game did due to Favre's return to face his old team, and the sex scandal surrounding the quarterback), it did feature the reigning Super Bowl champion in a game that remained tight until the end. Poltrock also mentioned that CBS' The Mentalist, the second-most-DVR'ed program this season, also sees such high DVR numbers because it airs Thursdays at 10pm. There are a lot of very popular shows Thursdays 9pm, so people time shift a 9pm program to 10pm (when The Mentalist airs), and then shift The Mentalist to a later time.
I find this all very intriguing, and very important. With the proliferation of quality television across the cable box, more and more conflicts arise in certain time slots. DVR usage will only increase due to this fact. It is unfair to penalize shows that have a major part of their audience watches them at a later time, so these DVR numbers must be included to see which shows are doing best. Advertisers are reluctant to use the Live+7 figure because they insist people don't watch commercials when fast-forwarding past them during a DVR viewing, thereby negating the reason they pay the networks the big bucks for these ads. This complaint is faulty for two reasons, though.
First, it assumes that people actually watch commercials during live programs. Yes, some people leave the commercials on, but more often people get up to get a drink or food, or flip to another channel, therefore missing the commercials totally. Second, it assumes that viewers don't retain what they see while fast-forwarding. I know that I see the product of every commercial I zoom past, mostly because I am looking so intently at the screen to make sure I don't blast past the show. When fast-forwarding, I'm not getting up to go do something else. Plus, if the advertiser is creative enough, I'll stop my fast-forwarding to specifically watch the commercial. This has been the case with the clever ads that appear in Mad Men style during that show. If anything, advertisers may end up finding they are better off with DVR viewing in the not-too-distant future.
So, what do you think about Hawaii Five-0 being the most DVR'ed show ever? Would you have guessed it to be something else? Perhaps The Event (which was the second-highest new show to be DVR'ed, but tied for fifth overall)? Do you own and use a DVR? What are your favorite shows to watch at a later time? Do you think Nielsen should be using these Live+7 numbers exclusively, or should Hulu and other online viewings count too? Drop your comments below or in our Forum, and be sure to check regularly with TVOvermind for all of your TV news and notes.
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I agree Advertisers have to be smarter. Like you, I am also watching intently when fast fowarding and have occasionally stopped to watch a commercial that caught my eye. Ad people, stop whining and kick up your game with cleverness.
They need to start takin online viewing WAY more seriously. To me, the DVR is old tech I rarely use any more. I use Online for everything, though i watch quite a few shows live, including Hawaii Five-0, but i dont have a DVR in my bedroom wear I watch them usually. Hulu uses ads during all normal commercial break so you'd think this stuff would count MORE than a DVR stat. Nielsen and the networks are so freakin last decade. Personally I hate "Television" and think everything should just be online and on-demand.
I'll disagree with you. I love television, knowing that at a certain day and time I can catch my favorite show. Yes, there's conflicts sometimes, but for the most part I enjoy having a schedule. Besides, there's always the fun of channel surfing to see what's on and discovering something you didn't even know was around.
so you said it's an easy time slot, but it competes with football! Which is it?
Bob, I think he means that outside of football, H5O has a relatively non-competitive time slot. I've referenced this before in my reviews of the show – some of the major networks run the news at that hour, so there's news and Chase on, and Chase isn't much competition. (But you know that, I assume!)
true, true, but since we haven't had a night without Monday Night football, saying that it's an easy night except for football isn't as precise a thought as it could be;)
That is very true. Point taken.
Hi Bob, this is Michael, the author of the post. I understand what you're saying. I could've been more artful in describing H50's time slot situation (though I never called the slot "easy," rather "realtively non-competitive"). True, football makes Monday at 10pm a harder place to live for the fall, but overall, compared to other times during the week (e.g. Tuesday at 8, any time Thursday), it's one of the less competitive slots on the five major networks.
But, like any great football team, you have to beat the weaker opponents, and H50 has done so in spades. Personally, I've loved H50 so far, and so have many, many other people, hence the great ratings. Obviously, if the show wasn't good, no matter the competition, 3.4 million people wouldn't have DVR'ed it.
The point in bringing up the time slot is to illustrate that normally, DVR viewing wouldn't be found in large numbers for great shows in less competitive slots because people would just flock to the best show at that time and watch it live. In this case, not only did H50 do a fantastic live number because of its quality versus its competition, it also had a best-ever DVR number. These occurrences have been paradoxical in the past (usually, a show has large live ratings and a small DVR number, or vice versa), but H50 is unique.
I sincerely apologize for perhaps not being as precise as I could have been. Please know that this article was not comment on the quality of the show, which I find to be quite high, and in fact, the best new show of the season. Literally, no smoke blowin' here. :-) Please keep up the great work — I look forward to watching it! If you'd like to contact me I can be reached at michael@tvovermind.com.
Online viewing definitely should count IMO. To me it makes no difference what platform you watch on, as long as you're watching.
"This remake of a semi-successful 1970′s cop procedural". Semi-successful? Yes, so many shows last 12 seasons and achieve iconic status (best TV theme ever, gangs still refer to the police as "5-0", and even though the show has been off the air since 1980 every man man and his dog know what "Book 'em Danno" means). Praise the (Jack) Lord!