DVR Viewings Boost Ratings, Indicate The Changing Ad Market

The GateWorld blog is reporting on the ratings for the season premier of Stargate Atlantis, ‘Search and Rescue’. While Nielsen reported 1.8 million viewers, giving a 1.3 rating, that’s under their ‘Live + Same Day’ ratings. Under their ‘Live + Seven Day’ ratings, which includes delayed DVR viewings, the numbers jumped to 2.4 million viewers, which would yield a rating of 1.7. This is direct evidence of the difference DVRs make to viewership and ratings, a difference which will only increase as DVR use grows. The industry is facing a massive change in how ratings are measured and ads are sold, and the advertising industry can only resist the use of DVR-based ratings for so long. With services like TiVo’s Stop||Watch able to provide detailed statistics on ad viewing there may be all new methods of advertising sales and ratings measurement yet to come.