History repeats itself, indeed. Old-timers will remember the outcry among movie studios that felt VHS would mean death to Hollywood (that didn't happen). And not too long ago, the TV industry felt that the DVR would be its own Black Plague. But Nielsen, the company that watches what you watch, reports that viewing has actually increased with DVR uptake. This report confirms
earlier studies showing the same trend. According to Nielsen, the DVR has shifted primetime content viewing to beyond the traditional primetime slot and allowed viewing of programs that would have gone unseen without DVRs. Go figure -- as access to content is made more convenient, consumption goes up! Here's to hoping that the TV industry takes the lesson to heart and focuses more on producing of programs we want to watch than on controlling how we watch it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Adam @ Feb 16th 2008 10:38AM
It's amazing how the networks perceive DVRs as being evil. I WANT to watch your shows, just not at a time that might be inconvenient for me or my wife. Don't expect me to stop what I'm doing in my life because you think I need to sit in front of the tube at 9pm to watch Lost.
Mr Stevo @ Feb 16th 2008 10:58AM
I use my regular stand alone dvd-recorder to watch shows later on. I just can't stand my local tv stations'commercials, they're so awful to the point of being insulting. So, I skip all that trash.
Truth Teller @ Feb 16th 2008 11:06AM
HD DRVs are the high def media winners this time out.
Simple, convenient, being bought with almost every HD TV sold & getting cheaper all the time.
They'll soon be 'free' with 12mth contract & a switch to a particular TV company's HD TV services......in the UK Sky are now offering theirs for 99 & no installation fee for new customers.
soulst0p @ Feb 16th 2008 2:09PM
Nielsen, you tards! You finally get it.
To quote Bruce Willis, "Welcome to the party, pal!"
Nate the Prophet @ Feb 16th 2008 3:33PM
The tv ratings system has been a joke for some time, but with the advent of DVRs it's been absolutely ludicrous. I for one never I MEAN NEVER watch live tv at all. Certainly not prime time shows. I record them, and watch them later on when it's convenient for me.
The networks reliance on Neilsen is what led to to some of my favorite shows being canceled.
Hopefully they are finally waking up--though they don't deserve it. a company that takes this long to catch up to technology deserves to go out of business!!!
snchpnz @ Feb 16th 2008 4:28PM
Well, DUH! Not only that but I also watch the commercials. Yeah, I may speed through them but I still catch a glimpses of what is being advertise. I even stop for commercials every once in a while if something interesting catches my attention. So I watch more TV and more commercials all in less time.