With almost all Fox shows pre-empted by baseball, Gossip Girl, Smallville and FlashForward all increased their adults 18-49 Live+SD ratings by 33% in their Live+7 ratings which measure DVR viewing through seven days after airdate for the week of October 26 - November 1, 2009. As is typical, the highest rated shows overall had the greatest absolute ratings increases, as Grey's Anatomy gained 1.4 adults 18-49 ratings points between its Live+SD and Live+7 periods.
Interestingly, with Fox shows off the schedule, the range of relative increases among the top 25 shows was quite narrow, from 19% for #25 Law & Order to the 33% for the top 3.
Note: Many CBS shows were in repeats which are typically DVR viewed very little.
Disclaimer: all the numbers we have seen point to a scenario where the additional days of DVR viewing beyond the Live+SD numbers play almost no role in a shows’ fate. In a recent conversation with the head of research for a broadcast network he agreed that perhaps 10% of the viewing beyond the Live+SD period serves to increase the C+3 commercial ratings that are used to price advertising, so it's not going to save shows with bad Live+SD ratings.
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 (October 26 - November 1):
| 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 | 5.21 | 6.64 | 1.4 | 27% | 22% |
| 2 | OFFICE | NBC | 4.25 | 5.34 | 1.1 | 26% | 20% |
| 3 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 3.60 | 4.67 | 1.1 | 30% | 23% |
| 4 | Private Practice | ABC | 3.60 | 4.51 | 0.9 | 25% | 20% |
| 5 | CSI | CBS | 3.43 | 4.34 | 0.9 | 27% | 21% |
| 6 | FLASHFORWARD | ABC | 2.73 | 3.62 | 0.9 | 33% | 25% |
| 7 | Modern Family | ABC | 3.69 | 4.51 | 0.8 | 22% | 18% |
| 8 | Desperate Housewives | ABC | 5.01 | 5.80 | 0.8 | 16% | 14% |
| 9 | 30 Rock | NBC | 3.05 | 3.78 | 0.7 | 24% | 19% |
| 10 | BROTHERS & Sisters | ABC | 3.34 | 3.99 | 0.7 | 19% | 16% |
| 11 | HEROES | NBC | 2.55 | 3.16 | 0.6 | 24% | 19% |
| 12 | SURVIVOR: SAMOA | CBS | 3.70 | 4.31 | 0.6 | 16% | 14% |
| 13 | Law And Order:SVU | NBC | 2.77 | 3.37 | 0.6 | 22% | 18% |
| 14 | Cougar Town | ABC | 3.17 | 3.73 | 0.6 | 18% | 15% |
| 15 | CASTLE | ABC | 2.53 | 3.08 | 0.6 | 22% | 18% |
| 16 | COMMUNITY | NBC | 2.11 | 2.65 | 0.5 | 26% | 20% |
| 17 | Lie To Me | FOX | 2.43 | 2.96 | 0.5 | 22% | 18% |
| 18 | SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-TUE | FOX | 2.48 | 3.01 | 0.5 | 21% | 18% |
| 19 | NUMB3RS | CBS | 1.72 | 2.21 | 0.5 | 28% | 22% |
| 20 | GHOST WHISPERER | CBS | 2.03 | 2.47 | 0.4 | 22% | 18% |
| 21 | Parks and Recreation | NBC | 2.02 | 2.45 | 0.4 | 21% | 18% |
| 22 | Biggest Loser 8 | NBC | 3.71 | 4.12 | 0.4 | 11% | 10% |
| 23 | Gossip Girl | CW | 1.23 | 1.64 | 0.4 | 33% | 25% |
| 24 | MEDIUM | CBS | 1.93 | 2.33 | 0.4 | 21% | 17% |
| 25 | Law And Order | NBC | 1.36 | 1.76 | 0.4 | 29% | 23% |
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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 (October 19-25):
| 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 | Gossip Girl | CW | 1.23 | 1.64 | 0.4 | 33% | 25% |
| 2 | Smallville | CW | 1.13 | 1.50 | 0.4 | 33% | 25% |
| 3 | FLASHFORWARD | ABC | 2.73 | 3.62 | 0.9 | 33% | 25% |
| 4 | UGLY BETTY | ABC | 1.10 | 1.45 | 0.4 | 32% | 24% |
| 5 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 3.60 | 4.67 | 1.1 | 30% | 23% |
| 6 | Law And Order | NBC | 1.36 | 1.76 | 0.4 | 29% | 23% |
| 7 | NUMB3RS | CBS | 1.72 | 2.21 | 0.5 | 28% | 22% |
| 8 | GREY'S ANATOMY | ABC | 5.21 | 6.64 | 1.4 | 27% | 22% |
| 9 | CSI | CBS | 3.43 | 4.34 | 0.9 | 27% | 21% |
| 10 | OFFICE | NBC | 4.25 | 5.34 | 1.1 | 26% | 20% |
| 11 | COMMUNITY | NBC | 2.11 | 2.65 | 0.5 | 26% | 20% |
| 12 | Private Practice | ABC | 3.60 | 4.51 | 0.9 | 25% | 20% |
| 13 | 30 Rock | NBC | 3.05 | 3.78 | 0.7 | 24% | 19% |
| 14 | HEROES | NBC | 2.55 | 3.16 | 0.6 | 24% | 19% |
| 15 | SUPERNATURAL | CW | 1.37 | 1.68 | 0.3 | 23% | 18% |
| 16 | Modern Family | ABC | 3.69 | 4.51 | 0.8 | 22% | 18% |
| 17 | Lie To Me | FOX | 2.43 | 2.96 | 0.5 | 22% | 18% |
| 18 | CASTLE | ABC | 2.53 | 3.08 | 0.6 | 22% | 18% |
| 19 | GHOST WHISPERER | CBS | 2.03 | 2.47 | 0.4 | 22% | 18% |
| 20 | Law And Order:SVU | NBC | 2.77 | 3.37 | 0.6 | 22% | 18% |
| 21 | SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-TUE | FOX | 2.48 | 3.01 | 0.5 | 21% | 18% |
| 22 | Parks and Recreation | NBC | 2.02 | 2.45 | 0.4 | 21% | 18% |
| 23 | MEDIUM | CBS | 1.93 | 2.33 | 0.4 | 21% | 17% |
| 24 | COLD CASE | CBS | 1.67 | 2.01 | 0.3 | 20% | 17% |
| 25 | BROTHERS & Sisters | ABC | 3.34 | 3.99 | 0.7 | 19% | 16% |
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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.
Suprised that Private Practice is so high beating Desperate Housewives.
wooow for cw…heroes
Do you know if the Smallville numbers count Chciago? I know that episode was pre-empted in Chicago but shown on Sunday
Fire Dawn, I don’t believe so. Those Chicago numbers that week for Smallville are lost to us forever.
stupid DVRs
Not so stupid when a show you likes comes on when you can’t watch it.
Is there somewhere we could see the viewers? ^^
Could someone please provide the actual viewership for smallville instead of the % increase? Thanks
3.24 million
Thank you James. Could I ask though, where you got that number?
Just made it up……………….no, it was in a twitter report:
crazed #Smallville fans, 10/30 episode boosted with DVR from L+SD 2.565M to L+7 3.24 million. 18-49 went from a 1.1 rating to a 1.5 rating
Thanks again!!!
F00!!
SMALLVILLE IS THE BEST!! I LOVE SMALLVILLE IT IS WINNING THIS WAR! AGAINST THE FRIDAY NIGHT DEATH TRAP!! SCREW ALL OTHER SHOWS.. GOSSIP GIRL SUCKS!
On my honor as a Boy Scout, this press release is real
So that pretty much explains Ugly Betty’s lack of viewers. They all DVR it before they go out on a Friday. Hope it moves to Wednesday!
Go Smallville! Can anyone think of another show that was moved to the ole Friday Slot O’ Doom and flourished like Smallville is doing currently ?
Eric, I think Law and Order or Ghost Whisper i dont remember tho.
Congratz to Smallville I knew it would do good!!!
Bill:
This season Smallville is really kicking ass and taking names in the ‘death slot’ (Much to the dismay of Dawn!) Based on the ratings information that you and Robert provide each week, do you see a 10th season happening?
Is Smallville really “flourishing” in the Friday night slot, or is it simply doing better than expectations? How do this season’s ratings for Smallville compare with last season when it was still on Thursday night? What about compared with two seasons ago, when the show was still relatively strong?
You should compare every series to their ratings Two years ago and see how they are doing now.