Stupid Question

[Cohasset / Hippisley]

On Jan 11, 2010, at 1:47 PM, Dave Tomm wrote:

> I'm wondering if those ratings are broken down into percentage of views that are live versus DVR'ed, and what demos time shift their viewing.  I would think this data exists, since the networks seem to know what percentage of DVR users fast forward through the commercials.  If I was an advertiser, and a significant percentage of the audience of a program I buy time on is watching it using a DVR, I'd have to determine if I was getting the best bang for my buck.  If my target demos are fast forwarding through my spots, why bother?

Back in the good ol' days, before DVRs, my family and I used to use the commercial breaks in prime time shows for quick runs to the kitchen and/or the bathroom, or to check on the kids, or....etc.  So advertisers who paid for spots in those time slots were wasting their money in our household, at least.

Now, with the DVR, even if I fast forward through commercial breaks, I am still seeing the commercials -- they're just speeded up a bit.  Further, they're preserved for multiple viewings, depending on how long I've opted to keep each program I "taped".  So while advertisers may see DVRs as cutting into the effectiveness of their ads, I'd have to say that's not clear cut in our house.  Of course, we're not getting any of the audio message contained in the ads, but I never did when I was in the bathroom, either....

Bud Hippisley