Dramas Drive DVR Playback, 'Heroes,' 'Lost' Lead Pack

by Wayne Friedman, Jun 19, 2008, 8:31 AM

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High-rated shows don't mean high DVR playback. But for the most part, dramas--of any type and size--will have viewers time-shifting more than average.

In particular, science-fiction-type dramas get a bigger percentage of their viewers from DVR playback--this according to a study by Magna Global. The best of these are "Heroes" and "Lost." Twenty-nine percent of all viewers of "Heroes" put the show on their DVR playback lists; "Lost" is just a tick behind at 28%. These shows are well over the average of 10% DVR playback.

Younger viewers 18-34 naturally do a bit more DVR-ing. Both "Heroes" and "Lost" get 39% of their ratings from DVR playback.

But big-rated shows are not the only programs with a high DVR playback percentage. Magna notes that this includes "The Reaper," "Jericho," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," "Prison Break," "Journeyman," "Chuck," "Bionic Woman," "Smallville," "New Amsterdam," "Supernatural," "The Unit," "Moonlight," "Pushing Daisies" and "The Ghost Whisperer"--all scored above-average DVR playback.

Among reality shows, "Big Brother" gains 28% from DVR--the best in this category. "The Office" grabs 26% from DVR, tops among all comedies.

Overall, Magna Global says time-shifting accounts for 9% of national household ratings for the five networks in prime time, with 15% of adult 18-49 ratings. In DVR homes, Magna says this means 40% of prime-time broadcast household ratings, and about 65% of adults 18-49 viewers time-shift.

Right now, only about one-quarter of TV homes (23%) have DVRs. Magna estimates this number will rise to 37% by 2012. Women and men time-shift at about the same rates respective to their overall prime-time viewers. Women 18-49 make up 58% of all prime-time viewers; men 18-49 represent 42%.

This just-completed TV season was the first season that the industry instituted C3 ratings. The Magna study notes that live program ratings compared to C3 ratings--commercial ratings plus three days of DVR viewership--were about the same.

Among adults 18-49, about 45% of regular prime-time series indexed at 100 (C3 vs. LP). Twenty-six percent were at 100 index; 29% were below 100. Those that over-indexed included "The Office," "New Amsterdam," "Ugly Betty," "30 Rock," "Lost," "Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles," "Heroes" and "House."

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