Our source for Live+7 DVR ratings includes only original, regular programs, excluding both repeats (which are unlikely to be heavily DVR viewed) and "specials". There were 59 such programs in the data for the week ending March 11.
During week twenty-five of the 2011-12 broadcast season (March 5, 2012 - March 11, 2012) The Big Bang Theory and New Girl topped the rankings for the week's DVR viewing adults 18-49 ratings. Between the Live+Same Day period (as reported in all our other ratings posts) and the Live + 7 Day measurement periods both shows posted a modest gain of 1.6 adults 18-49 ratings points.
The percentage gainers were led by Awake with a 69% 18-49 ratings increase from DVR viewing increasing, followed closely by The Firm, which added 67%.
The Mentalist led the absolute average viewership gained from DVR viewing too, adding 3.4 million viewers via DVR viewing between the Live+Same Day and Live + 7 day measurement periods.
Largest 18-49 Ratings Increase From DVR Viewing for Broadcast TV Shows:
| Rank | Programs | Net | 18-49 Live+SD (rating) | 18-49 Live+7 (rating) | Post Airdate 18-49 Rating Absolute Increase From DVR Viewing | Post Airdate 18-49 Rating % Increase from DVR Viewing |
| 1 | Big Bang Theory, THE-03/08 | CBS | 5.2 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 31% |
| 2 | New Girl-03/06 | FOX | 3.0 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 53% |
| 3 | OFFICE-03/08 | NBC | 2.6 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 46% |
| 4 | Once Upon A Time-03/11 | ABC | 2.9 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 38% |
| 5 | AWAKE-03/08 | NBC | 1.6 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 69% |
| 6 | American Idol-WEDNESDAY-03/07 | FOX | 5.7 | 6.8 | 1.1 | 19% |
| 7 | SMASH-03/05 | NBC | 2.7 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 41% |
| 8 | Person Of Interest-03/08 | CBS | 3.4 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 29% |
| 9 | Mentalist, THE-03/08 | CBS | 2.8 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 36% |
| 10 | Family Guy-03/11 | FOX | 2.8 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 36% |
| 11 | Grimm-03/09 | NBC | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 67% |
| 12 | VOICE-03/05 | NBC | 6.2 | 7.2 | 1.0 | 16% |
| 13 | Alcatraz-03/05 | FOX | 1.8 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 56% |
| 14 | Up All Night-03/08 | NBC | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 53% |
| 15 | Desperate Housewives-03/11 | ABC | 2.6 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 31% |
| 16 | Parks and Recreation-03/08 | NBC | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 39% |
| 17 | SURVIVOR: ONE WORLD-03/07 | CBS | 3.2 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 22% |
| 18 | Raising Hope-03/06 | FOX | 2.1 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 33% |
| 19 | American Idol-THURSDAY-03/08 | FOX | 4.9 | 5.6 | 0.7 | 14% |
| 20 | GCB-03/11 | ABC | 2.3 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 26% |
| 21 | Happy Endings-03/07 | ABC | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 30% |
| 22 | RIVER, THE-03/06 | ABC | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 40% |
| 23 | FINDER-03/08 | FOX | 2.3 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 26% |
| 24 | 30 Rock-03/08 | NBC | 1.4 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 43% |
| 25 | Whitney-03/07 | NBC | 1.6 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 38% |
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The 18-49 Demo Increase From DVR Viewing ranks which of the top broadcast shows [by Live+7 adults 18-49 ratings] 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:
| Rank | Programs | Net | 18-49 Live+SD (rating) | 18-49 Live+7 (rating) | Post Airdate 18-49 Rating Absolute Increase From DVR Viewing | Post Airdate 18-49 Rating % Increase from DVR Viewing |
| 1 | AWAKE-03/08 | NBC | 1.6 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 69% |
| 2 | FIRM-03/10 | NBC | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 67% |
| 3 | Grimm-03/09 | NBC | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 67% |
| 4 | RINGER-03/06 | CW | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 60% |
| 5 | Alcatraz-03/05 | FOX | 1.8 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 56% |
| 6 | New Girl-03/06 | FOX | 3.0 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 53% |
| 7 | Up All Night-03/08 | NBC | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 53% |
| 8 | AMERICA'S Top Model-BRIT-03/07 | CW | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 50% |
| 9 | OFFICE-03/08 | NBC | 2.6 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 46% |
| 10 | 30 Rock-03/08 | NBC | 1.4 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 43% |
| 11 | 90210-03/06 | CW | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 43% |
| 12 | One Tree Hill-03/07 | CW | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 43% |
| 13 | SMASH-03/05 | NBC | 2.7 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 41% |
| 14 | RIVER, THE-03/06 | ABC | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 40% |
| 15 | Parks and Recreation-03/08 | NBC | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 39% |
| 16 | Once Upon A Time-03/11 | ABC | 2.9 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 38% |
| 17 | Whitney-03/07 | NBC | 1.6 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 38% |
| 18 | Mentalist, THE-03/08 | CBS | 2.8 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 36% |
| 19 | Family Guy-03/11 | FOX | 2.8 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 36% |
| 20 | Blue Bloods-03/09 | CBS | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 35% |
| 21 | Good Wife, THE-03/11 | CBS | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 35% |
| 22 | Cougar Town-03/06 | ABC | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 33% |
| 23 | Raising Hope-03/06 | FOX | 2.1 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 33% |
| 24 | Big Bang Theory, THE-03/08 | CBS | 5.2 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 31% |
| 25 | Desperate Housewives-03/11 | ABC | 2.6 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 31% |
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The 18-49 Demo Increase From DVR Viewing ranks which of the top broadcast shows [by Live+7 adults 18-49 ratings] 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 Average Viewership Increase From DVR Viewing for Broadcast TV Shows:
| Rank | Program | Net | Viewership Live+SD (000) | Viewership Live+7 (000) | Post Airdate Absolute Viewership Increase From DVR Viewing (000) | Post Airdate % Viewership Increase from DVR Viewing |
| 1 | Mentalist, THE-03/08 | CBS | 13,958 | 17,396 | 3,438 | 25% |
| 2 | Big Bang Theory, THE-03/08 | CBS | 15,103 | 18,414 | 3,311 | 22% |
| 3 | Person Of Interest-03/08 | CBS | 15,825 | 18,877 | 3,052 | 19% |
| 4 | Blue Bloods-03/09 | CBS | 11,099 | 13,929 | 2,830 | 26% |
| 5 | New Girl-03/06 | FOX | 6,002 | 8,680 | 2,678 | 45% |
| 6 | Once Upon A Time-03/11 | ABC | 9,289 | 11,918 | 2,629 | 28% |
| 7 | American Idol-WEDNESDAY-03/07 | FOX | 18,692 | 21,204 | 2,512 | 13% |
| 8 | SMASH-03/05 | NBC | 7,755 | 10,224 | 2,469 | 32% |
| 9 | AWAKE-03/08 | NBC | 4,325 | 6,765 | 2,440 | 56% |
| 10 | Grimm-03/09 | NBC | 5,049 | 7,397 | 2,348 | 47% |
| 11 | VOICE-03/05 | NBC | 16,848 | 19,190 | 2,342 | 14% |
| 12 | Alcatraz-03/05 | FOX | 5,472 | 7,710 | 2,238 | 41% |
| 13 | Good Wife, THE-03/11 | CBS | 9,884 | 11,942 | 2,058 | 21% |
| 14 | OFFICE-03/08 | NBC | 4,903 | 6,935 | 2,032 | 41% |
| 15 | Desperate Housewives-03/11 | ABC | 8,390 | 10,330 | 1,940 | 23% |
| 16 | CSI: MIAMI-03/11 | CBS | 10,724 | 12,598 | 1,874 | 18% |
| 17 | American Idol-THURSDAY-03/08 | FOX | 17,266 | 19,056 | 1,790 | 10% |
| 18 | FINDER-03/08 | FOX | 7,079 | 8,828 | 1,749 | 25% |
| 19 | Family Guy-03/11 | FOX | 5,741 | 7,449 | 1,708 | 30% |
| 20 | HARRY'S LAW-03/11 | NBC | 9,047 | 10,707 | 1,660 | 18% |
| 21 | SURVIVOR: ONE WORLD-03/07 | CBS | 10,783 | 12,396 | 1,613 | 15% |
| 22 | Up All Night-03/08 | NBC | 3,444 | 4,940 | 1,496 | 43% |
| 23 | GCB-03/11 | ABC | 7,124 | 8,604 | 1,480 | 21% |
| 24 | Raising Hope-03/06 | FOX | 4,737 | 6,021 | 1,284 | 27% |
| 25 | RIVER, THE-03/06 | ABC | 4,195 | 5,443 | 1,248 | 30% |
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The average viewership increase From DVR Viewing ranks which of the top broadcast shows [by Live+7 viewers] had the largest absolute increase in average viewership by DVR between the Live + Same Day and Live + 7 day ratings measurements.
Do the Live+7 ratings tell us anything about a show's renewal prospects we didn't already know from the Live+Same Day ratings? No. Click here to learn more.
To see the previous most DVR'd TV Shows lists click here.
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) ratings 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
Until the 2009-2010 season, we used a 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:©2012 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
