During the second week of the Winter Olympics, Lost and Tuesday's American Idol each added 1.0 adults 18-49 rating point after their airdates from DVR viewing to lead all broadcast shows for absolute DVR ratings gains.
That week (February 22-28), saw NBC completely in Winter Olympics coverage (and our DVR data excludes sports programming), except for the premiere of Marriage Ref which increased by a very modest 0.5 ratings point (10% of its air date 18-49 ratings). Most of the other broadcast networks had very few scripted shows in original episodes.
Smallville topped the % increase in ratings by DVR viewing rankings for the week, boosting its adults 18-49 rating by 38%, well ahead of #2 Brothers and Sisters. But you know it's a light week for DVR viewing when shows with single digit % ratings increases appear among the top 25 broadcast shows.
Compare any of the shows below with their networks overall average Live+7 DVR adults 18-49 ratings increases for the week: CW (15%), Fox (9%), CBS (8%), ABC (12%), NBC (10%, just Marriage Ref!).
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 the previous week's 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 (February 22-28):
| Rank | Programs | Net | 18-49 Live+SD (rating) | 18-49 Live+7 (rating) | Post Airdate 18-49 Ratings Increase | Post Airdate 18-49 Rating Increase from DVR Viewing | % of 18-49 Viewing By DVR Post Airdate |
| 1 | LOST | ABC | 4.60 | 5.63 | 1.0 | 22% | 18% |
| 2 | American Idol-TUE | FOX | 9.03 | 10.02 | 1.0 | 11% | 10% |
| 3 | American Idol-WED | FOX | 8.69 | 9.53 | 0.8 | 10% | 9% |
| 4 | Desperate Housewives | ABC | 3.68 | 4.45 | 0.8 | 21% | 17% |
| 5 | Undercover Boss | CBS | 5.07 | 5.82 | 0.8 | 15% | 13% |
| 6 | BROTHERS & Sisters | ABC | 2.54 | 3.18 | 0.6 | 25% | 20% |
| 7 | 24 | FOX | 2.82 | 3.42 | 0.6 | 21% | 18% |
| 8 | SURVIVOR: HEROES-VILLAINS | CBS | 3.70 | 4.29 | 0.6 | 16% | 14% |
| 9 | MARRIAGE REF | NBC | 4.85 | 5.34 | 0.5 | 10% | 9% |
| 10 | Smallville | CW | 1.08 | 1.49 | 0.4 | 38% | 28% |
| 11 | BACHELOR, THE | ABC | 3.90 | 4.31 | 0.4 | 11% | 10% |
| 12 | Amazing Race 16 | CBS | 3.19 | 3.51 | 0.3 | 10% | 9% |
| 13 | FORGOTTEN, THE | ABC | 1.70 | 2.01 | 0.3 | 18% | 15% |
| 14 | COLD CASE | CBS | 2.37 | 2.61 | 0.2 | 10% | 9% |
| 15 | Modern Family | ABC | 1.67 | 1.90 | 0.2 | 14% | 12% |
| 16 | DEEP END, THE | ABC | 1.08 | 1.28 | 0.2 | 19% | 16% |
| 17 | One Tree Hill | CW | 1.06 | 1.25 | 0.2 | 18% | 15% |
| 18 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 3.30 | 3.48 | 0.2 | 5% | 5% |
| 19 | Family Guy | FOX | 2.79 | 2.94 | 0.2 | 5% | 5% |
| 20 | Life Unexpected | CW | 0.87 | 1.01 | 0.1 | 16% | 14% |
| 21 | 48 Hours Mystery | CBS | 1.58 | 1.71 | 0.1 | 8% | 8% |
| 22 | NCIS | CBS | 2.29 | 2.42 | 0.1 | 6% | 5% |
| 23 | Two and a Half Men | CBS | 3.30 | 3.42 | 0.1 | 4% | 4% |
| 24 | COPS | FOX | 1.78 | 1.90 | 0.1 | 7% | 6% |
| 25 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 1.75 | 1.85 | 0.1 | 6% | 5% |
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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 (February 22-28):
| Rank | Programs | Net | 18-49 Live+SD (rating) | 18-49 Live+7 (rating) | Post Airdate 18-49 Ratings Increase | Post Airdate 18-49 Rating Increase from DVR Viewing | % of 18-49 Viewing By DVR Post Airdate |
| 1 | Smallville | CW | 1.08 | 1.49 | 0.4 | 38% | 28% |
| 2 | BROTHERS & Sisters | ABC | 2.54 | 3.18 | 0.6 | 25% | 20% |
| 3 | LOST | ABC | 4.60 | 5.63 | 1.0 | 22% | 18% |
| 4 | 24 | FOX | 2.82 | 3.42 | 0.6 | 21% | 18% |
| 5 | Desperate Housewives | ABC | 3.68 | 4.45 | 0.8 | 21% | 17% |
| 6 | DEEP END, THE | ABC | 1.08 | 1.28 | 0.2 | 19% | 16% |
| 7 | FORGOTTEN, THE | ABC | 1.70 | 2.01 | 0.3 | 18% | 15% |
| 8 | One Tree Hill | CW | 1.06 | 1.25 | 0.2 | 18% | 15% |
| 9 | Life Unexpected | CW | 0.87 | 1.01 | 0.1 | 16% | 14% |
| 10 | SURVIVOR: HEROES-VILLAINS | CBS | 3.70 | 4.29 | 0.6 | 16% | 14% |
| 11 | Undercover Boss | CBS | 5.07 | 5.82 | 0.8 | 15% | 13% |
| 12 | Modern Family | ABC | 1.67 | 1.90 | 0.2 | 14% | 12% |
| 13 | MELROSE PLACE | CW | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.0 | 13% | 11% |
| 14 | American Idol-TUE | FOX | 9.03 | 10.02 | 1.0 | 11% | 10% |
| 15 | BACHELOR, THE | ABC | 3.90 | 4.31 | 0.4 | 11% | 10% |
| 16 | COLD CASE | CBS | 2.37 | 2.61 | 0.2 | 10% | 9% |
| 17 | MARRIAGE REF | NBC | 4.85 | 5.34 | 0.5 | 10% | 9% |
| 18 | Amazing Race 16 | CBS | 3.19 | 3.51 | 0.3 | 10% | 9% |
| 19 | American Idol-WED | FOX | 8.69 | 9.53 | 0.8 | 10% | 9% |
| 20 | 48 Hours Mystery | CBS | 1.58 | 1.71 | 0.1 | 8% | 8% |
| 21 | SUPERNATURAL | CW | 0.64 | 0.69 | 0.0 | 8% | 7% |
| 22 | 90210 | CW | 0.27 | 0.29 | 0.0 | 7% | 7% |
| 23 | TIL DEATH-SUN 7P | FOX | 0.98 | 1.05 | 0.1 | 7% | 7% |
| 24 | COPS | FOX | 1.78 | 1.90 | 0.1 | 7% | 6% |
| 25 | Modern Family-WED 8PM | ABC | 1.17 | 1.24 | 0.1 | 6% | 6% |
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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) Adults 18-49 Ratings – 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 Ratings Increase Past Airdate - How many people watched the show on their DVRs within 7 days following the airdate
% of All Adults 18-49 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:©2010 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Is this for the week of (February 22-28)? How is Melrose Place on the list?
Jenny, a MP repeat aired on 2/23.
I don't watch Melrose Place, and I know it doesn't do well in ratings.It doesn't really make any difference, but isn't that kinda impressive though?
Jenny, no, not at all impressive. The percentage increase rankings are generally pretty worthless and made more worthless for the week above by lots of repeats scheduled versus the Olympics.
It's also the law of tiny #s at play. A .02 increase still ranks because it was still 12.5% of the measly .16 Live+SD rating.
Oh, okay. Thank you for clarifying that.
Smallville, OTH and LUX were the only origonal episodes the CW aired during the olympics, Supernatural, Melrose, 90210 were all repeats! I’m surprised people actually bother to DVR repeats?!
I love Smallville because I'm from Kansas. Just when I think they can't do anything more with this show it always surprises me. I thought when they killed Jimmy off I was going to stop watching it.
I like how they bring in the lesser known superheroes, hoping for a spin off, haven't seen the Wonder Woman character on TV in years, although no one can't replace Linda Cater. I hope they move it next year. But maybe Friday is good not much competition.
Yay go Smallville!!!
Yes! Smallville is doing very well!
Im sorry but MP being on that list is impresive considering it was a repeat
Im sorry but MP being on that list is impresive considering it was a repeat
Um, I don't care if they were repeats or not or if the numbers are “measly” or not. MP made the list and it shows that people ARE DVR'ing it, so give it the credit it deserves. Seriously…
Um, I don't care if they were repeats or not or if the numbers are “measly” or not. MP made the list and it shows that people ARE DVR'ing it, so give it the credit it deserves. Seriously…