For the second week of the season (September 28 - October 4), Fox's Fringe was a DVR viewing standout. It increased its Live+SD adults 18-49 rating by 0.9 points (tied for 6th) and had a percentage adults 18-49 ratings increase of 39% (tied for 2nd).
Thursday shows are getting heavily DVR'd this season, 9 of the top 20 percentage increase shows were on Thursday in the reporting week. And it's interesting to note that the only CBS shows on the % increase list are either on Thursday or Friday (which again is a big DVR day as it has been in the past).
Robert has already posted about the relative DVR increases for the week between Smallville and Dollhouse among others.
This week I'm making a permanent change to the tables presented in our weekly DVR post. I am including only adults 18-49 ratings and not average viewership. However, I will be including both an absolute and a percentage based 18-49 ratings tables. The past inclusion of average viewership in our DVR post is somewhat of an artifact of our early days when the only Live+7 data we got was average viewership. Now that we get complete adults 18-49 Live+7 ratings data, and its the adult demo ratings that pay the bills, that's what I'll feature.
Disclaimer: all the numbers we have seen point to a scenario where the additional days of DVR viewing beyond the Live+SD numbers don’t play a role in a shows’ fate. While the C3 ratings (commercial ratings with 3 days of DVR viewing) increase versus the LIVE program ratings (which aren’t published anywhere), the C3 ratings go down versus Live+SD program ratings which are commonly published everywhere.
Note that the tables below contain adults 18-49 demo program ratings, not millions of viewers.
To see previous weeks most DVR'd TV Shows lists click here.
Those of you interested in DVR viewing numbers might enjoy:
When Do DVR’d Shows Get Watched? Same Night or After?
Doing My Part To Combat DVR Misinformation
Largest 18-49 Demo Increase From DVR Viewing for Broadcast TV Shows (Sept 28 - October 4):
| Rank | Programs | Net | 18-49 Live+SD (rating) | 18-49 Live+7 (rating) | Post Airdate 18-49 Ratings Increase | Post Airdate Increase from DVR Viewing | % of All Viewing By DVR Post Airdate |
| 1 | GREY'S ANATOMY | ABC | 6.1 | 7.5 | 1.4 | 23% | 19% |
| 2 | HOUSE | FOX | 5.8 | 7.1 | 1.3 | 22% | 18% |
| 3 | CSI | CBS | 4.1 | 5.2 | 1.1 | 27% | 21% |
| 4 | OFFICE | NBC | 3.9 | 4.9 | 1.0 | 26% | 20% |
| 5 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 3.8 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 26% | 21% |
| 6 | Glee | FOX | 3.3 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 27% | 21% |
| 7 | FRINGE | FOX | 2.3 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 39% | 28% |
| 8 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 4.6 | 5.5 | 0.9 | 20% | 16% |
| 9 | FLASHFORWARD | ABC | 3.7 | 4.6 | 0.9 | 24% | 20% |
| 10 | HEROES | NBC | 2.5 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 32% | 24% |
| 11 | Bones | FOX | 2.7 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 30% | 23% |
| 12 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 5.3 | 6.0 | 0.7 | 13% | 12% |
| 13 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 3.8 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 18% | 16% |
| 14 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 4.8 | 5.4 | 0.6 | 13% | 11% |
| 15 | NCIS | CBS | 4.8 | 5.4 | 0.6 | 13% | 11% |
| 16 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES | CBS | 4.1 | 4.7 | 0.6 | 15% | 13% |
| 17 | MODERN FAMILY | ABC | 3.8 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 16% | 14% |
| 18 | FAMILY GUY | FOX | 5.1 | 5.7 | 0.6 | 12% | 11% |
| 19 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 3.6 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 17% | 14% |
| 20 | LIE TO ME | FOX | 2.9 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 21% | 17% |
| 21 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 2.5 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 24% | 19% |
| 22 | COMMUNITY | NBC | 2.9 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 21% | 17% |
| 23 | CASTLE | ABC | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 27% | 21% |
| 24 | SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-WED | FOX | 2.7 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 22% | 18% |
| 25 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 5.0 | 5.6 | 0.6 | 12% | 11% |
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The 18-49 Demo Increase From DVR Viewing ranks which of the top broadcast shows [by Live+7 viewers] had the largest absolute adults 18-49 ratings increase in viewing by DVR in their adults 18-49 Live+7 audience numbers from viewers watching shows after the airdate on their digital video recorders (DVRs).
Largest 18-49 Demo Percentage Increase From DVR Viewing for Broadcast TV Shows (Sept 28 - October 4):
| Rank | Programs | Net | 18-49 Live+SD (rating) | 18-49 Live+7 (rating) | Post Airdate 18-49 Ratings Increase | Post Airdate Increase from DVR Viewing | % of All Viewing By DVR Post Airdate |
| 1 | Smallville | CW | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 40% | 29% |
| 2 | FRINGE | FOX | 2.3 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 39% | 28% |
| 3 | GOSSIP GIRL | CW | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 33% | 25% |
| 4 | DOLLHOUSE | FOX | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 33% | 25% |
| 5 | HEROES | NBC | 2.5 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 32% | 24% |
| 6 | NUMB3RS | CBS | 1.6 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 31% | 24% |
| 7 | Bones | FOX | 2.7 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 30% | 23% |
| 8 | Glee | FOX | 3.3 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 27% | 21% |
| 9 | CASTLE | ABC | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 27% | 21% |
| 10 | ONE TREE HILL | CW | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 27% | 21% |
| 11 | CSI | CBS | 4.1 | 5.2 | 1.1 | 27% | 21% |
| 12 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 3.8 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 26% | 21% |
| 13 | OFFICE | NBC | 3.9 | 4.9 | 1.0 | 26% | 20% |
| 14 | 90210 | CW | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 25% | 20% |
| 15 | SUPERNATURAL | CW | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 25% | 20% |
| 16 | LAW AND ORDER | NBC | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 25% | 20% |
| 17 | VAMPIRE DIARIES | CW | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 25% | 20% |
| 18 | MELROSE PLACE | CW | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 25% | 20% |
| 19 | FLASHFORWARD | ABC | 3.7 | 4.6 | 0.9 | 24% | 20% |
| 20 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 2.5 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 24% | 19% |
| 21 | GREY'S ANATOMY | ABC | 6.1 | 7.5 | 1.4 | 23% | 19% |
| 22 | HOUSE | FOX | 5.8 | 7.1 | 1.3 | 22% | 18% |
| 23 | GHOST WHISPERER | CBS | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 22% | 18% |
| 24 | SO YOU THINK CN DANCE | FOX | 2.7 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 22% | 18% |
| 25 | MEDIUM | CBS | 1.9 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 21% | 17% |
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The 18-49 Demo % Increase From DVR Viewing ranks which of the top broadcast shows [by Live+7 viewers] had the largest percentage adults 18-49 ratings increase in viewing by DVR in their adults 18-49 Live+7 audience numbers from viewers watching shows after the airdate on their digital video recorders (DVRs).
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Definitions:
DVR (Time-shifted) Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data –Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs. Live+Same Day(Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
DVR Viewers Past Airdate - How many people watched the show on their DVRs within 7 days following the airdate
% of All Viewing By DVR Past Airdate - Of the total viewing of that particular episode, what percentage was done via DVR.
Because of emerging practices in the TV media, and our access to the relevant data, we're making a pretty fundamental change in the way we present DVR data. Up until the 2009-2010 season, we used the show's Live program rating or viewership as the base upon which the Live+7 day DVR viewing was added. Now, the press seems to be standardizing around using Live+Same Day DVR viewing as the base for the calculations, plus our access to Live ratings is somewhat erratic and restricted. While there are both positive and negative aspects to basing increases on Live+SD, after discussion, Robert and I decided to make the change.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data:©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
woo hoo, Numb3rs!
Does this suggest that people will watch Fringe when they’re tired of Grey’s and the Office? Should we expect a large audience for Fringe reruns?
Will this help save Fringe for another season?
J.R., I think it just suggests there are a LOT of shows on at 9pm on Thursdays that people watch. ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX were all represented in the top 10 absolute increases for their Thursday 9pm shows.
Edit: and three of the top four absolute increases were for Thursday @9p shows
What interests me here is how Fox will use the DVR increase data. Robert, your comments above indicate you don’t think the Live+7 day ratings figures make a big difference when it comes to renewal decisions. But would they matter as a way of measuring, for lack of a better way to say it, “latent” demand for a show?
For example, some say Fringe is a popular show whose ratings are depressed by “timeslot congestion” (i.e. lots of top-performing shows air in the timeslot). So while Fringe’s 2.3 rating sucks, its 3.2 Live+7 would, if it were a Live+SD rating, make the show a “hit.” Doesn’t that suggest there’s a lot of folks out there who watch the show & would watch it live if not for the 3 other top-rated shows airing simultaneously? One wonders if the show’s ratings might increase if it were moved to a slightly less congested timeslot.
A lot of people say that Dollhouse fits in the same boat–bad timeslot. Yet Dollhouse’s Live+7 is still terrible, suggesting that no matter where you put Dollhouse in the schedule, it wouldn’t do well.
Robert, We fans of Smallville over at KryptonSite really use the average viewership
totals, of the Finals and the Live+7, for our Charts and Graphs! We have used them for years! Are you sure you can’t include it somewhere? Otherwise can you suggest somewhere we can find Live+7 viewership totals?
Outlander, I agree, but it makes for a very long disclaimer! You should consider our disclaimers a work in progress!
Sparkle, I don’t have viewer numbers yet, Bill isn’t posting them anymore anyway, and Smallville won’t make it into the Live+7 top 25 lists, so I dunno…
Didn’t Heroes have a bigger DVR boost last year as well? That would seem to be another knock against its renewal, if not only the Live+SD ratings are down but also the viewership increase from last year.
Though I think now we know why we heard noises of Dollhouse getting the axe. FOX had seen it’s Live+7 increase drop from last season’s 0.5 to a 0.3 and they weren’t happy.
Very interesting that the top twenty absolute gainers had from 0.6 to 1.4; I don’t remember that being the case last year.
I’m wondering if CSINY made it to the top 30?
Mar, this is the first time I’ve posted the top 25 absolute 18-49 ratings gainers on our site. You may have seen 18-49 ratings absolute gain lists elsewhere previously, but not here.
Bill, alot of fans are still interested in the Live+7 viewership totals. Can you
include them somewhere. We’ve been charting Smallville for years! Help!
I’m just hoping this will be one more thing Fox takes into consideration for Thursday night with Fringe. It has the highest increase for shows in that timeslot and goes to show the fans are still there (like myself), we’re just watching something else live and catching Fringe later. They wanted an improvement over last year and they got it at the sacrifice of live viewers.
Sparkle, we get DVR numbers from several sources, some include viewership, some do not. Besides wanting to go with what we get first (currently we don;t have Live+7 avg. viewership numbers for the week above), I wanted to include absolute 18-49 ratings increases, and it’s just not worth doing 4 different tables.
We all know that avg. viewership is meaningless to the advertising success of a show, and as I said in the post it was included earlier as a holdover from the days when all we got was average viewership.
Does this make a 3rd season more likely?
I really, really hope so, I love this show and right now, I’m worried. A lot.
There are many of us that track the Live+7 viewership totals. I also ask that you include them somewhere. If you do not wish to include them anymore can you provide us the information on where we can obtain them elsewhere.
Oh, OK, thanks for responding. If we ask specifically for a particular
show, maybe you might list the total in the Comment section?
Sparkle, that’s unlikely to be a good long term solution for my sanity. And, perhaps I wasn’t clear, we don’t have Live+7 viewership numbers for this week, and I have no idea when I will get them.
LOL, OK, Wouldn’t want to mess with your sanity!
You can’t blame a girl for trying.*sigh*
Very surprised that DH is not higher in the list.