Originally published December 14 2005
Networks say DVRs actually boost viewership
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The six major TV networks said that DVRs actually help networks by attracting viewers who would miss the show entirely, contradicting predictions that DVRs undermine the commercial value of broadcast TV.
Far from being the TV doomsday machines that some have predicted, digital video recorders that allow viewers to skip advertising and watch shows at their leisure will actually boost television audiences, the major networks said on Wednesday.
That was the principal finding in a report issued by the six major networks---CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, the WB and UPN---that sought to allay concerns in the media industry that DVRs will undermine the commercial value of broadcast television.
Advertisers and investors have watched the entry of DVRs into the mass market with a keen eye for several years.
"For most of the top television programs, the audience will be greater for these programs as DVR penetration increases," David Poltrack, head of ratings research for CBS, told reporters.
Acknowledging that trend, Nielsen in January will begin to issue national television ratings that include DVR playbacks within a day of original airing and up to seven days later.
On average, homes with a DVR watched 5.7 hours of television daily compared with 5.1 hours for homes without the device, the networks said.
DVR households still watch about 90 percent of their television at original broadcast time, while the remaining 10 percent that is recorded favor the most popular broadcast programs during a given season.
While 90 percent of viewers surveyed said they skipped all or most commercials when they watched a show played back on DVR, the networks ' research showed 58 percent paid attention to the commercials in a fast-forward mode and 53 percent have gone back to watch an ad that interested them, the networks said.
Advertisers have already shifted a portion of their spending to new media outlets, trying to reach consumers who devote more time to the Internet or other forms of entertainment.
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