or


[03/16/06 - 12:00 AM]
Early Nielsen Data Shows That Dvrs Have Negligible Impact on Commercial Effectiveness

[via press release from NBC]

EARLY NIELSEN DATA SHOWS THAT DVRs HAVE NEGLIGIBLE IMPACT ON COMMERCIAL EFFECTIVENESS

Adverse Effect of Replay Technology on Commercial Average Less than Three Percent

Wurtzel: "The television world isn't changing as dramatically as some have feared."

NEW YORK -- March 16, 2006 -- A recent follow-up to a 2005 study on ad-supported television in the age of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) concluded that replay devices in the current TV market have an impact on commercial effectiveness on average of less than three percent, a far smaller figure than previously thought. Citing recent data from Nielson Media Research, Alan Wurtzel, President of NBC Universal Television Research and Media Development, spoke today at NBC Universal's annual development meeting and presented evidence showing that currently the impact of commercial skipping in non-DVR households is actually greater than the impact in homes with a DVR.

Looking at an average of the six broadcast networks in primetime, Wurtzel's analysis of Nielsen data found a drop in commercial effectiveness that averages less than three percent. Conversely, Wurtzel cited a nearly seven percent drop in commercial effectiveness when the same analysis was conducted for viewing in non-DVR television homes. Further, Wurtzel showed that for replay technology to have an impact of even 10 percent on commercial effectiveness, DVR penetration in total US households would have to more than triple from today's ten percent to 35 percent - a figure that the market is not expected to reach until 2009-2010.

"It's time we put DVR usage and its impact on advertising in perspective," Wurtzel said. "We're not saying that people who use DVRs don't skip commercials. What we are saying is that we've been living with commercial skipping since day one, and yet television remains the most powerful and effective marketing and sales medium ever known. And right now, the impact on commercial effectiveness is actually greater in non-DVR homes than among viewers who watch television with a DVR."

Wurtzel's presentation follows a study on DVR penetration conducted last fall by research executives from the six major television networks, which showed that DVRs increase household television viewing by 12 percent. Combined with the previous data, this recent research concluded that in spite of new technologies in the home - including video on demand, broadband, and replay devices - traditional television viewing habits have remained very much intact. As an example, Wurtzel cited that of the 100 channels the average US household receives, only 15 are viewed regularly or approximately 16 percent of the total channels available which is a pattern which has remained consistent over the past decade.

Wurtzel concluded his remarks on Thursday with a call for a realistic response to the DVR's impact on ad-supported TV as reflected in the Nielsen data. "Television has constantly evolved as new technology appears," Wurtzel said. "The DVR should not be feared by television and advertising executives. By measuring more real, actual viewing, it is frankly a huge benefit to us all."





  [march 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[07/02/25 - 03:04 PM]
ABC News Announces "Verdict: The Diddy Trial," Airing Wednesday, July 2, at 10 P.M. on ABC, Streaming Next Day on Hulu
A verdict has been reached in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, who has been found guilty on two of five counts.

[07/02/25 - 02:38 PM]
Hallmark Channel Earns #1 Most-Watched Network on Weekends Throughout June with "Passport to Love" Programming Event
"Passport to Love" helped elevate Hallmark Channel to be the #1 most-watched network on weekends throughout the month of June.

[07/02/25 - 11:52 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: American League Leading Detroit Tigers to Visit Texas Rangers on July 20
Through 14 games, "Sunday Night Baseball" is averaging 1,750,000 million viewers, up 11 percent from last year.

[07/02/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Trainwreck: Storm Area 51" - Official Teaser - Netflix
The stranger-than-fiction story of the greatest meme ever made.

[07/02/25 - 10:00 AM]
First Look - "Big Brother: A Summer of Mystery" Unlocks a Season of Secrets When Houseguests Enter "The Hotel Mystere"
In a season full of surprises, the premiere will be filled with unexpected twists and turns including a masked visitor, a secret accomplice and the shocking arrival of a "Mystery Houseguest" whose identity will remain under wraps... at least for now.

[07/02/25 - 09:00 AM]
"The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" Season Three Drops August 6 on Disney+
Ahead of the summer debut, the series has also been renewed for a fourth season, coming to Disney+ in 2026.

[07/02/25 - 08:12 AM]
ESPN Original Series "The Fight Life" Returns for Season Two on July 7
After each episode's debut, "The Fight Life" will also air across ESPN's linear platforms.

[07/02/25 - 07:09 AM]
Apple's Sci-Fi Drama "Invasion" to Return for Season Three on August 22
The 10-episode third season will make its global return on Friday, August 22 on Apple TV+ with one episode, followed by one new episode weekly, every Friday through October 24.

[07/02/25 - 06:12 AM]
"South Park's" 27th Season Premiere Moves to Wednesday, July 23rd at 10:00pm ET/PT on Comedy Central
The show's social media accounts confirmed the news this morning.

[07/02/25 - 05:06 AM]
Video: Trailer Released for ESPN's "Fanatics Fest: All Access" Special
From June 20-22, Fanatics Fest drove more than 125,000 fans to the Javits Center in New York City, captivating all in attendance and taking over social feeds throughout the three-day event.

[07/02/25 - 04:00 AM]
Roku Will Live-Stream Viral Sensation Savannah Bananas' Banana Ball World Tour Game from Fenway Park
Roku viewers will see the Savannah Bananas take on the Firefighters at historic Fenway Park on Sunday, July 6, at 3:30 PM ET, exclusively streaming on The Roku Channel's Roku Sports Channel in the U.S.

[07/01/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "Low Life" - Official Trailer - Disney+
Outlaws. Opportunists. One deadly chase. Who will sink, and who will score?

[07/01/25 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Glass Heart" Main Trailer and Title Song Revealed
This summer, Netflix presents a harmonious blend of emotion and music.

[07/01/25 - 02:48 PM]
FX's "The Bear" Renewed for Season Five
Christopher Storer's Emmy-award winning hit will return in 2026.

[07/01/25 - 02:25 PM]
Emmy Winner Michael Imperioli Set to Star Opposite Patrick Dempsey in New FOX Drama Series "Memory of a Killer," from Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment
The new drama series is scheduled to premiere midseason on FOX.