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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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5

DVR Viewers Give Ratings Boost to Grey's, Others

Execs hope these watchers will eventually translate into ad dollars

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(Newser) – TV networks dismayed at low ratings early in the season are getting a ray of hope in the form of the once-feared DVR. Sure, ad buyers won’t pay out when a viewer watches Grey’s Anatomy on TiVo, but that and other shows are gaining a massive audience days after the broadcast. Execs think they will migrate back to primetime once the herd of new and returning shows thins.

Unlike last fall, “there are a lot more new shows bumping up against each other,” an analyst tells USA Today. DVR owners allowed 36 shows to belatedly pad their Nielsen stats by 1 million viewers or more. “It helps us to feel comfortable that if we're patient, we can start to see growth” in primetime, an exec says. Grey's got the biggest bump, with 3 million new viewers, with the Mentalist and House close. The biggest new-series winner was FlashForward, with 2 million additional viewers.

Patrick Dempsey, left, and Ellen Pompeo are shown in a scene from
Patrick Dempsey, left, and Ellen Pompeo are shown in a scene from "Grey's Anatomy."   (AP Photo)
The premiere of
The premiere of "Flashforward" was the most recorded on television.   (AP Photo)
A TiVo HD DVR system.
A TiVo HD DVR system.   (AP Photo)
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When there's so much good programming, you want to see if you're the second choice or the third choice. It helps us to feel comfortable that if we're patient, we can start to see growth. - Preston Beckman, Fox, on gauging a show's success

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5 comments
VIEWING:
 
LibertyMan
Oct 14, 09 12:34 PM CDT
Just bring back Reno 9-11 and all will be forgiven! Reply
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+2
blackgrl
Oct 14, 09 1:05 PM CDT
LOL! Absolutely! Reply
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+1
Mafu
Oct 14, 09 1:42 PM CDT
Hopefully with the rise of DVRs comes also a evolution of advertisements... I for one hate commercials, the less the better, although with that said I am also a consumer that if certain celebrities say they like a certain cologne or sunglasses brand, I may fall victim to purchasing something... A better done version of how they did advertising on the Truman Show might be a refreshing change? Reply
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0
Rocket448
Oct 14, 09 3:48 PM CDT
If I can record a program then I have the power to fastforward through commercials. One main reason I skip commercials is the jarring increase in sound volume is very upsetting to me. Also I can skip the banal blandishments offered every 17 minutes. Reply
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DarkFrancis
Oct 15, 09 3:31 AM CDT
With the exception of one or two shows, when I turn on the TV and find myself in front of an American drama these days, I get confused about which show I'm watching. They really have become virtually indistinguishable. That may say more about my tastes than the content, but even so...change it up. Reply
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