Unsurprisingly, the DVR viewing rankings of shows aired during the final "pre-season" week (September 13-20), were topped by shows starting their seasons "early" (Parenthood, CW shows) , and one show finishing its summer run (Lie To Me).
Parenthood lead all shows for ratings added after airdate via DVR viewing, adding 0.8 adults 18-49 ratings points to its Live+Same Day adults 18-49 ratings. Second place Lie To Me added 0.7 adults 18-49 ratings points.
Lie To Me also topped the % ratings increase from DVR viewing, adding 45% to its Live+Same Day ratings. As is typical when they're in first run episodes, CW shows crowded the top of the % increase list.
One thing that readers new to Live+7 DVR ratings should note, no matter how much network press releases, or fan sites, would have you believe it, those Live+7 ratings increases will not save your marginally rated favorite shows. They add little to the advertising revenue potential for the shows, and however much a show's ratings may increase, their relative increases vs. other shows are often not particularly significant. And it's relative ratings that determine renewal or cancellation.
Compare any of the shows below with their networks overall average Live+7 DVR adults 18-49 ratings increases for the week: CW (26%), Fox (10%), CBS (5%), ABC (5%), NBC (5%).
Disclaimer: all the numbers we have seen point to a scenario where the additional days of DVR viewing beyond the Live+Same Day (SD) numbers play almost no role in a shows’ fate. In a 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 most DVR'd TV Shows lists click here.
Largest 18-49 Demo Increase From DVR Viewing for Broadcast TV Shows (September 13-20):
| 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 | PARENTHOOD | NBC | 2.71 | 3.53 | 0.8 | 30% | 23% |
| 2 | Lie To Me | FOX | 1.56 | 2.26 | 0.7 | 45% | 31% |
| 3 | Vampire Diaries | CW | 1.46 | 1.90 | 0.4 | 30% | 23% |
| 4 | AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-TUE | NBC | 3.93 | 4.30 | 0.4 | 9% | 9% |
| 5 | FLASHPOINT | CBS | 1.13 | 1.47 | 0.3 | 30% | 23% |
| 6 | MASTERCHEF | FOX | 2.03 | 2.36 | 0.3 | 16% | 14% |
| 7 | 90210 | CW | 0.93 | 1.26 | 0.3 | 35% | 26% |
| 8 | Gossip Girl | CW | 0.96 | 1.28 | 0.3 | 33% | 25% |
| 9 | Big Brother 12-WED | CBS | 2.87 | 3.19 | 0.3 | 11% | 10% |
| 10 | Apprentice 10 | NBC | 1.48 | 1.79 | 0.3 | 21% | 17% |
| 11 | BACHELOR PAD | ABC | 1.83 | 2.14 | 0.3 | 17% | 14% |
| 12 | AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-WED | NBC | 3.86 | 4.16 | 0.3 | 8% | 7% |
| 13 | Nikita | CW | 1.18 | 1.48 | 0.3 | 25% | 20% |
| 14 | AMERICA'S Top Model-9 | CW | 1.31 | 1.61 | 0.3 | 23% | 19% |
| 15 | WIPEOUT-TUES | ABC | 2.76 | 3.04 | 0.3 | 10% | 9% |
| 16 | Hellcats | CW | 1.08 | 1.32 | 0.2 | 22% | 18% |
| 17 | GATES, THE | ABC | 0.89 | 1.12 | 0.2 | 26% | 21% |
| 18 | Life Unexpected | CW | 0.77 | 0.98 | 0.2 | 27% | 21% |
| 19 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 2.21 | 2.40 | 0.2 | 9% | 8% |
| 20 | One Tree Hill | CW | 1.09 | 1.27 | 0.2 | 17% | 14% |
| 21 | Modern Family | ABC | 1.59 | 1.76 | 0.2 | 11% | 10% |
| 22 | DATING IN THE DARK | ABC | 1.21 | 1.36 | 0.2 | 12% | 11% |
| 23 | GLEE | FOX | 1.77 | 1.92 | 0.2 | 8% | 8% |
| 24 | GLEE-TUE 8P | FOX | 1.63 | 1.76 | 0.1 | 8% | 7% |
| 25 | Dateline FRI | NBC | 1.41 | 1.53 | 0.1 | 9% | 8% |
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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 (September 13-20):
| 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 | LIE TO ME | FOX | 1.56 | 2.26 | 0.7 | 45% | 31% |
| 2 | 90210 | CW | 0.93 | 1.26 | 0.3 | 35% | 26% |
| 3 | Gossip Girl | CW | 0.96 | 1.28 | 0.3 | 33% | 25% |
| 4 | PARENTHOOD | NBC | 2.71 | 3.53 | 0.8 | 30% | 23% |
| 5 | Vampire Diaries | CW | 1.46 | 1.90 | 0.4 | 30% | 23% |
| 6 | FLASHPOINT | CBS | 1.13 | 1.47 | 0.3 | 30% | 23% |
| 7 | Life Unexpected | CW | 0.77 | 0.98 | 0.2 | 27% | 21% |
| 8 | GATES, THE | ABC | 0.89 | 1.12 | 0.2 | 26% | 21% |
| 9 | Nikita | CW | 1.18 | 1.48 | 0.3 | 25% | 20% |
| 10 | AMERICA'S Top Model-9 | CW | 1.31 | 1.61 | 0.3 | 23% | 19% |
| 11 | Hellcats | CW | 1.08 | 1.32 | 0.2 | 22% | 18% |
| 12 | Apprentice 10 | NBC | 1.48 | 1.79 | 0.3 | 21% | 17% |
| 13 | BACHELOR PAD | ABC | 1.83 | 2.14 | 0.3 | 17% | 14% |
| 14 | One Tree Hill | CW | 1.09 | 1.27 | 0.2 | 17% | 14% |
| 15 | MASTERCHEF | FOX | 2.03 | 2.36 | 0.3 | 16% | 14% |
| 16 | DATING IN THE DARK | ABC | 1.21 | 1.36 | 0.2 | 12% | 11% |
| 17 | Big Brother 12-WED | CBS | 2.87 | 3.19 | 0.3 | 11% | 10% |
| 18 | Modern Family | ABC | 1.59 | 1.76 | 0.2 | 11% | 10% |
| 19 | WIPEOUT-TUES | ABC | 2.76 | 3.04 | 0.3 | 10% | 9% |
| 20 | FRINGE | FOX | 0.71 | 0.78 | 0.1 | 10% | 9% |
| 21 | AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-TUE | NBC | 3.93 | 4.30 | 0.4 | 9% | 9% |
| 22 | CRIMETIME SATURDAY 8PM | CBS | 0.67 | 0.73 | 0.1 | 9% | 8% |
| 23 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 2.21 | 2.40 | 0.2 | 9% | 8% |
| 24 | Dateline FRI | NBC | 1.41 | 1.53 | 0.1 | 9% | 8% |
| 25 | GLEE | FOX | 1.77 | 1.92 | 0.2 | 8% | 8% |
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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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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
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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.
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, so that's what we do now as well.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data:©2010 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
