More viewers are recording programs with their PVRs, but they’re actually not delaying viewing for very long, according to a recent analysis conducted by Palisades MediaGroup. The study discovered that, on average, more than half of all PVR primetime programme playback is done within the same day it was recorded. And by the end of the following day, PVR owners have completed approximately three-quarters of all programme playback.While PVR penetration appears to be growing at a rapid pace, its usage isn’t making a significant impact on ratings.
“At least not yet,” says Susie Thomas, senior VP, director of research and insights at Palisades MediaGroup. “Nielsen estimates PVR penetration to be at 20%, up from 12% in January of last year. While this is a good-sized increase, the impact on viewership remains minor.”
According to the study, ratings increase just over 15% due to PVR playback from live to live-plus-seven. The average rating against adults aged 18-49 was 2.5 for live viewing and 2.9 for live-plus-seven viewing; an increase of only 16.7%.
While fast-forwarding through the ads is still an issue, not all people who use a PVR fast-forward. The data show that less than half of people who watch a recorded programme fast-forward through the ads during playback.“
Of course there are fluctuations when looking at the data programme-by-programme,” notes Thomas, “but overall PVR usage is not dramatically cutting into live viewing.” Equally significant, the top 10 most-PVR’d primetime shows among adults 18-49 experience as much as 58% of playback on the same day (CBS’s Survivor: China) and as little as 27% (CW’s Reaper) (see graph B).The bottom line, according to the Palisades MediaGroup: advertisers with time-sensitive messages such as opening-weekend movie releases or special holiday sales offers need not fret over the PVR movement just yet. Viewers are watching recorded programmes shortly after they’ve been recorded, thus maintaining the timeliness of the advertising message.
