The US will move its clocks back on Sunday at 2am ending the annual ritual of daylight savings time for 2008. Since 2007, the US has observed daylight savings time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. Unfortunately for the TV industry, that added two weeks of later sunsets during the meat of the broadcast TV season, since from 1987-2006 the start and end dates were the first Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October.
Does the end of daylight savings time increase TV viewing early in the evening? Based on the long term charts of broadcast evening news (which airs from 6-6:30 Eastern) viewership the answer is yes. Note the ramp up in early November and the drop off in late March.
My guess is that it benefits the first hour of broadcast prime time as well (8-9 Eastern). I'll see if I can figure out how identify that effect in a way that's valid and not crazily time consuming and post again on what I find out.
Update: While this may boost all 8pm shows, what shows, that might need a little help, could get boosted in the coming weeks? Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Pushing Daisies and Ugly Betty stand out to me.
I figured I’d post since you went to the trouble of making a chart. No one seems to be watching CBS News. The number 1 Network (until Idol rolls around) and they can’t beat ABC or NBC.
Nick, note that this chart is almost 4 months old, although I don’t think the relative positions have changed in that time. I stopped producing them because they got so little traffic they weren’t worth it, but it does demonstrate the Daylight Savings Time change pretty dramatically.
Wow, this is a very interesting article. I never thought about the impact of daylight savings time on the really good 8pm programs. Next week will be interesting to sees which shows receive a boost and which shows receive a boot.
is that an excel chart?
Mandy, Indeed it is. Produced with the help of (or hindrance by, depending on your perspective) the folks in Redmond, Washington!
what does this have to do with the 8-9pm hour? im confused!
darker earlier = more people watching TV in the 8pm-9pm hour than darker later
If the sun sets at 5pm instead of 6pm what does that have to do with people watching TV at 8pm?
David, it doesn’t completely make sense, but there is evidence to back it up. My suspicion is that it’s a psychological thing. When you get out of work and it’s already dark, you just want to go home, rather than go out somewhere. But I don’t have evidence that shows that that is the reason.
the effect is probably more apparent when daylight’s savings time begins. Plus, in the central time zone, the 8pm shows start at 7pm
I believe this will actually help both Terminator and Chuck. Chuck fares better as an 8pm show, because for the most part it’s upbeat and funny, while Terminator is definitely more dour. But Chuck has a serious side too, and a surprisingly intense romance angle, and I think it could definitely hook some people who’re wanting a bit more than just a laugh.
I buy into Julia’s theory too. “When you get out of work and it’s already dark, you just want to go home, rather than go out somewhere.” Mostly because I’ve seen it happen. Less sunlight I think contributes to people just wanting to get home and unwind.
It would be interesting to run a similar analysis of viewership trends in other areas more affected by a “darkness effect” such as in Scandinavia.
“the effect is probably more apparent when daylight’s savings time begins. Plus, in the central time zone, the 8pm shows start at 7pm”
Mountain time zone starts at 7pm also.
I think all this applies to Central and Mountain time zones as well, it’s still a one hour change vs. the sun and your summer routines.
Bill, it applies across the board and population wise perhaps more in the east and west coast time zones, but, from an impact perspective if prolonged daylight is the issue, it would be more impactful for the 7pm hour than the eight pm hour. Yes, it’s still a one hour change, but when the sun is setting at 8:30pm and the show starts at 7pm, that’s a bigger deal than 8:30 vs. 8.
SARAH’S Back tonight —-ooo-rah!
Not only is TSCC back, but we get another awesome Cameron fight scene. Seriously, this is becoming something of a last gasp for Terminator. Tonight, it’s up against Deal or No Deal, rather than Chuck. Will be interesting to see what effect that has on the ratings. Hopefully, Chuck fans will tune in to TSCC rather than watch Deal or No Deal.
Dude, tonight’s Terminator episode was totally awesome. Gotta love Cameron’s obsession for her leather jacket. Gotta love Cameron, period.
Hope the end of DST helped it out!