While there's not a big difference between DVR playback from Monday to Thursday primetime, it is interesting to me that Tuesday is the biggest night of the week for DVR playback among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. I'd have guessed Thursday would be #1, but its third (just barely) behind Tuesday and Monday.
It's less surprising that 9-10pm is the marginally bigger DVR playback hour, just ahead of 10-11pm.
Source: CBS presentation to UBS 37th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference
This year, I’ve felt like there was completely nothing to have the TV turned to on Tuesday. I’ve been Nova/Frontline-ing all year. Oh, and thanks to Leno for freeing up the hour so people can catch up on their shows ;P
Is this “shows that were recorded during this hour and played back later” or “viewers were watching things on their dvrs during this hour”?
Does DVR playback mean people watching what they have already recorded or (as i’m guessing) recording something. If the latter, then how old is this data? The 9pm-10pm hour on Tuesday is usually full of reality shows (i.e. DWTS results, So You Think You Can Dance and The Biggest Loser) which I wouldn’t think people record that much.
What will be intresting is how much Scrubs goes up (% wise) after DVR is included. The same as Fringe (live ratings are similar)?
Holly, I assume the latter, “viewers were watching things on their dvrs during this hour”, but since there was no specific explanation I could be in error.
Holly’s question wasn’t there when I posted mine!
You’re right, Holly; I’ve could have completely read that wrong! Sorry about that.
Neither was Bill’s answer!
I’m getting dizzy…
@ScienceOfTV,
Reality shows get people who dvr them so they can fastforward through all the filler.
@ Bill
Surely if that was correct then why is Tuesday 9pm hour better than Thursday 9pm? Biggest Loser, Scrubs, NCIS: LA, SYTYCD vs Grey’s Anatomy (most recorded show on TV), The Office, CSI, 30 Rock and Fringe (high % increase with DVR)
THIS MUST BE WRONG!
That’s the highest hour of playback during primetime. It isn’t likely wrong or bad data.
The margins are so small to begin with, and you’re making an apples to oranges comparison. “Any DVR playback of any show — including House and Heroes the night before, and cable” vs. what’s on right now on broadcast.
This table does NOT show that more people are watching NCIS: LA than The Office and Grey’s Anatomy on their DVRs, and it is wrong to try to read it that way.
I am heavily inclined to think that is viewing, not recording, of materials – I highly doubt Thursday recording would only be that of Tuesday. And I really doubt that people are recording 60% of the Saturday schedule as they are the Thursday schedule.
On the other hand, there goes my Leno idea – T10 DVR usage isn’t any lower than M10. Leno’s varying ratings aren’t due to different DVR viewing in the hour, it is just the competition on the various days.
Notice that DVR viewing is never any higher at 10pm than 9pm. Kinda kills the frequently bandied about theory of “10pm shows are failing because of DVR viewing then”.
Thanks Bill and Robert for the answers. I could see it being either way.
Funny that, I watch nothing on any network on Tuesdays it’s usually DVD night or catch up on dvr’d stuff.
“Leno’s varying ratings aren’t due to different DVR viewing in the hour, it is just the competition on the various days”
Weaker competition combined with the Biggest Loser lead-in, especially since he started having the weekly Loser castoff every Tuesday night.
Makes sense. Tuesday is very diverse.
weak by far, 1 scripted and 3 networks of reality.
Let’s see once new year comes around.
I’m bettting it has more to do with the overall audience numbers. 4/5 is 80%, whereas 7/10 is 70%, but the 7/10 is more people watching.
“Weaker competition combined with the Biggest Loser lead-in, especially since he started having the weekly Loser castoff every Tuesday night.”
Err, when did this start happening? Because Tuesday has been Leno’s highest ratings pretty much from week one, IIRC. While I’m sure BL pads the difference between Tuesday and the rest of the week, it doesn’t seem to be responsible for the lead – that is all the weak ratings of Forgotten+Good Wife.
Which itself is an interesting conclusion on Leno: Rather than boosting the competition by being a weak show, Leno’s strength is directly related to the quality of the competition (and total viewing numbers). Those pre-season guesses on cause and effect were reversed!
Tuesday is a big night for CBS only. Across all channels, Friday has emerged as the main DVR data-dump for most folks:
http://tinyurl.com/ylxdyvp
Well using some of you guys’ logic, I find it really hard to believe that Thursday would be the third biggest playback of the week when you could easily save Monday through Thursday things for Friday or Saturday viewing. I could see why maybe a lot of DVR would be taped on Tuesday. SYTYCD and Biggest Loser have similar people that like those shows. However, I’d find it hard to believe that in most cases (I’m sure I’m in a small field) like both Fringe, 30 Rock, and Greys Anatomy. I’m sure I could be wrong, but I could also see where it was said earlier that 10PM would be heavy playback and it’s not.