AfterDawn: News

Nielsen: DVRs behind TV show viewer drop

Nielsen Media Research said on Thursday that digital video recorders (DVRs) are a leading reason for the slide in television viewing this year. Many of the top U.S. shows, including Grey's Anatomy, American Idol and CSI saw their ratings drop off this Spring. Following questions from NBC, Nielsen began an investigation into the possible factors behind the unexpected drop.

The research is almost complete, but Nielsen left slip some of its findings so far. "DVRs appear to be the largest factor in that," said Pat McDonough, Nielsen senior VP planning policy and analysis. Other interesting factors behind the falling ratings that Nielsen has found are the difference between an Olympic year (2006) and a non-Olympic year (2007).



There was also a higher number of repeat programs this spring than usual.

Source:
Yahoo (Reuters)

Written by: James Delahunty @ 1 Jun 2007 4:13

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• 15 comments

• Krmnnghia

  T-minus 1 week before we hear of a joint venture with NBC and MPAA/RIAA to reap benefits from DVR sales. UGH
  
  Seriously though I am surprised those two groups have not attacked the DVR industry because I can pull hours and hours of movies and audio from my DVR.

  1.6.2007 04:41 #1

• SProdigy

  Doesn't a DVR system still need to "watch" the TV show in order to record it? They are just up in arms about losing advertising revenue to new media, because they all know that we just fast forward through all the crap.

  1.6.2007 05:56 #2

• dRD

  Originally posted by Krmnnghia:T-minus 1 week before we hear of a joint venture with NBC and MPAA/RIAA to reap benefits from DVR sales. UGH
  
  Seriously though I am surprised those two groups have not attacked the DVR industry because I can pull hours and hours of movies and audio from my DVR.Don't worry, they'll get it. Here in Finland, we already pay a copyright levy on DVR devices, based on their HDD size [i](no matter that most DVR devices wont allow transferring the data to PC and that the TV companies have already paid the copyright fees for the shows they air..).

  1.6.2007 05:57 #3

• kaosX

  Originally posted by SProdigy:Doesn't a DVR system still need to "watch" the TV show in order to record it? They are just up in arms about losing advertising revenue to new media, because they all know that we just fast forward through all the crap.exactly.. when im recording channel 775... my box is "tuned" to 775.

  1.6.2007 07:28 #4

• spydah

  My biggest gripe with this is why do they allow companies to make products that can record if they are going to complain about that shit later its kinda retarded. Its almost like selling a candy bar to a kid and saying you can eat it but dont swallow. LoL Then they sit around falsify number or stats or whatever then create bogus articles to make it look as if they are losing out when they either still getting the same profit or more and they want even more from you.

  1.6.2007 07:50 #5

• macko79

  Originally posted by spydah:My biggest gripe with this is why do they allow companies to make products that can record if they are going to complain about that shit later its kinda retarded. Its almost like selling a candy bar to a kid and saying you can eat it but dont swallow. LoL Then they sit around falsify number or stats or whatever then create bogus articles to make it look as if they are losing out when they either still getting the same profit or more and they want even more from you.Pretty much. If my DVR get's too expensive, I'll just build one myself I guess.

  1.6.2007 08:49 #6

• Krmnnghia

  Quote:Originally posted by spydah:My biggest gripe with this is why do they allow companies to make products that can record if they are going to complain about that shit later its kinda retarded. Its almost like selling a candy bar to a kid and saying you can eat it but dont swallow. LoL Then they sit around falsify number or stats or whatever then create bogus articles to make it look as if they are losing out when they either still getting the same profit or more and they want even more from you.Pretty much. If my DVR get's too expensive, I'll just build one myself I guess.+12345

  1.6.2007 08:56 #7

• spydah

  We live in the greediest satiety they are always looking for a greater profit when they are getting more then what they deserve for their products.
  

  http://raptechnician.zoomshare.com/files/JWheelz00.jpg

  1.6.2007 08:58 #8

• aone

  Quote:Nielsen began an investigation into the possible factors behind the unexpected drop.
  lol, okay, between the three of the shows named, Grey's Anatomy snowballed into a sobbing pit of intern whores and ridiculous character asassinations and CSI and American Idol are just many seasons too many. and they have to "investigate" as to why there's a drop in ratings? lmao.
  
  on the other hand, NCIS is on the rise, woot. what a show. i wonder what other shows dropped.

  1.6.2007 13:28 #9

• borhan9

  People do have lives outside the box in their homes. Hence why they record their shows and watch them at a time that is suitable to them.

  1.6.2007 19:53 #10

• Blackjax

  Ah the teller of the cards is getting a vision...............
  
  
  
  
  I see...... I see..... Yes that is it a new campaign by the mafiaa to remove all the fast forward keys from all devices or wait is it try and put the genie back in the bottle by banning all recording devices.
  
  
  whew I need an aspirin!

  1.6.2007 20:06 #11

• AlmostOz

  Quote:[quote]Nielsen began an investigation into the possible factors behind the unexpected drop.
  lol, okay, between the three of the shows named, Grey's Anatomy snowballed into a sobbing pit of intern whores and ridiculous character asassinations and CSI and American Idol are just many seasons too many. and they have to "investigate" as to why there's a drop in ratings? lmao.
  
  on the other hand, NCIS is on the rise, woot. what a show. i wonder what other shows dropped.[/quote]exactly i was a huge fan of greys, but its just become ridiculous, its not just a love triangle anymore its just one big orgy
  
  once again big companies expectng us to gobble up any crap that is put out there because we are told to

  1.6.2007 21:20 #12

• ZippyDSM

  CSI is limping along NCIS was cool now its kinda so so its still a bit better than the other CSI knock offs new york sucks the most.
  
  Bewteen the crappy TV shows and multi ad breaks I gave up on TV the net is much more better :X
  
  as a anime fan I find fan subs to have the best balance in translation while domestic dvds tend to market to everyone but anime fans.

  2.6.2007 00:29 #13

• Unfocused

  DVR is great, but all it really does is allow me to get more backed up in watching my shows.

  19.7.2007 19:42 #14

• Mez

  Thank god for making Nielsen so SMART! The public has had the ability to record TV for decades. It is just that TV has become so poor nobody cares to make time to see the show when it is aired.
  
  No one wants to admit that the 'Emperor has no cloths'! It is pirates and DVRs that are killing business, not that they don't make them like they used to. I believe they used to focus on making a great product and hope it made a profit. Now they they are only concerned about maximizing the bottom line. How could they not predict this was going to happen? Greedy lawyers turn EVERYTHING to sh1t and they are running everything! God help us!
  
  It will get worse, just look how they treat the writers. When they ask to a percentage of the new sources of money, even if that number is 0. The industry claims the market is too complex for something that simple to work so we get to watch re-runs.

  14.12.2007 07:09 #15