All but a handful of the top 25 broadcast shows had lower C+3 Day commercial ratings (which measure commercial viewing within 3 days of airdate, and set advertising rates) than Live+Same Day program ratings during the broadcast primetime premiere week (September 20-26).
What that means is that fewer adults 18-49 watched the average commercial minute within 3 days of airdate than watched the average program minute within a day of airdate (the Live+Same Day ratings everybody reports).
Keep that in mind the next time you read networks' Jedi Mind Tricks touting their ratings gains from Live+7 day program ratings.
Among the top 25 shows, only Family Guy and The Mentalist had higher C+3 day commercial ratings than Live + Same Day program ratings during premiere week. While CSI and Dancing with the Stars had effectively the same ratings between the two measures.
C+3 commercial ratings also had little effect on the top 25 rankings. Only The Mentalist, CSI and NCIS: Los Angeles moved into the top 25 rankings compared to the Live+Same Day program ratings.
Update: I've now compared all broadcast primetime shows for premiere week, and the same trend holds as for the top shows. Most shows C+3 ratings are slightly below their Live+Same Day program ratings. Almost none are above.
Top 25 broadcast primetime shows for adults 18-49 Commercial ratings (C+ 3 Day DVR viewing) (Sept 20-26):
| Rank | Show | Adults 18-49 C+3 Day commercial rating | Adults 18-49 Live+SD program rating | Change |
| 1 | NBC Sunday Night Football | 6.92 | 7.3 | -5% |
| 2 | Grey'S ANATOMY | 5.11 | 5.4 | -5% |
| 3 | GLEE | 5.00 | 5.6 | -11% |
| 4 | Family Guy | 4.73 | 4.5 | 5% |
| 5 | Modern Family | 4.68 | 5.1 | -8% |
| 6 | Two and a Half Men | 4.51 | 4.9 | -8% |
| 7 | Dancing with the Stars | 4.41 | 4.4 | 0% |
| 8 | Big Bang Theory, THE | 4.29 | 4.9 | -12% |
| 9 | FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 | 4.07 | 4.1 | -1% |
| 10 | OFFICE | 4.06 | 4.4 | -8% |
| 11 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | 4.01 | 4.4 | -9% |
| 12 | HOUSE | 4.01 | 4.2 | -5% |
| 13 | Hawaii Five-0 | 3.88 | 3.9 | -1% |
| 14 | Desperate Housewives | 3.87 | 4.3 | -10% |
| 15 | $#*! My Dad Says | 3.73 | 4.0 | -7% |
| 16 | Simpsons | 3.67 | 3.7 | -1% |
| 17 | Criminal Minds | 3.67 | 4.0 | -8% |
| 18 | MIKE & Molly | 3.67 | 3.9 | -6% |
| 19 | NCIS | 3.67 | 4.0 | -8% |
| 20 | Mentalist, THE | 3.46 | 3.4 | 2% |
| 21 | CSI | 3.40 | 3.4 | 0% |
| 22 | Undercover Boss | 3.40 | 3.8 | -11% |
| 23 | SURVIVOR: NICARAGUA | 3.31 | 4.0 | -17% |
| 24 | How I Met Your Mother | 3.30 | 3.6 | -8% |
| 25 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES | 3.30 | 3.4 | -3% |
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Compare those with the top 25 rankings for Live+Same Day DVR PROGRAM ratings from the same week:
| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | 18-49 Rating | 18-49 Viewers |
| 1 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 7.3 | 9,643 | |
| 2 | GLEE | P | FOX | 5.6 | 7,341 |
| 3 | Grey’S ANATOMY | P | ABC | 5.4 | 7,124 |
| 4 | SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | 5.2 | 6,877 | |
| 5 | Modern Family | P | ABC | 5.1 | 6,709 |
| 6 | Dancing with the Stars | P | ABC | 5.1 | 6,660 |
| 7 | Two and a Half Men | P | CBS | 4.9 | 6,410 |
| 8 | Big Bang Theory, THE | P | CBS | 4.9 | 6,398 |
| 9 | Family Guy | P | FOX | 4.5 | 5,930 |
| 10 | OFFICE | P | NBC | 4.4 | 5,744 |
| 11 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | P | ABC | 4.4 | 5,726 |
| 12 | Desperate Housewives | P | ABC | 4.3 | 5,597 |
| 13 | HOUSE | P | FOX | 4.2 | 5,539 |
| 14 | FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 | NBC | 4.1 | 5,338 | |
| 15 | SURVIVOR: NICARAGUA | P | CBS | 4.0 | 5,312 |
| 16 | NCIS | P | CBS | 4.0 | 5,295 |
| 17 | $#*! My Dad Says | P | CBS | 4.0 | 5,246 |
| 18 | Criminal Minds | P | CBS | 4.0 | 5,202 |
| 19 | MIKE & Molly | P | CBS | 3.9 | 5,182 |
| 20 | Hawaii Five-0 | P | CBS | 3.9 | 5,160 |
| 21 | Undercover Boss | P | CBS | 3.8 | 4,952 |
| 22 | Amazing Race 17 | P | CBS | 3.8 | 4,945 |
| 23 | Simpsons | P | FOX | 3.7 | 4,872 |
| 24 | How I Met Your Mother | P | CBS | 3.6 | 4,748 |
| 25 | EVENT | P | NBC | 3.6 | 4,743 |
