News Broadcasting
Digital Video Recorders benefit hit shows and advertisments: US networks
MUMBAI: A new study conducted by executives from prominent US broadcast networks show that homes with Digital Video Recorders (DVR) watch significantly more television, and could increase the average primetime audience for a program by an average of 4 per cent. Interestingly, this is contrary to earlier claims that Digital Video Recorders would have an adverse impact on ad-supported television.
According to an official communiqué, released by DVR major Tivo, the networks highlighted multiple reports showing that DVR households watched 12 per cent more television, and that they are exposed to a greater number of commercial impressions. The results of these studies, though early, confirm what the networks’ own proprietary studies have found all along: DVRs increase the viewing of television’s most popular programming, as well as commercials, the release adds.
The study conducted by researchers from networks ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN and the WB highlighted the following:
1) When factoring in DVR usage, primetime programs increase their audience by an average of 4 per cent. This figure is based on a study conducted by Nielsen that examined DVR usage in seven major markets, including Houston, Tampa, Denver, Orlando, Charlotte, Raleigh and Austin – regions with large enough samples to report DVR usage.
2) Homes with DVRs averaged 5.7 hours of television viewing per day, compared to 5.1 from homes without DVRs. This represents a 12 per cent increase in the amount of time spent watching TV.
3) Additionally, the networks’ own proprietary research found that DVR viewers do pay attention to commercials, and that they show high levels of awareness/ recall on commercials they have fast-forwarded. Among the findings:
4) 58 per cent of DVR users pay attention to commercials even while fast forwarding
5) 53 per cent of DVR users have gone back to watch commercials they mistakenly skipped.
As per the study, the 10 most played back programs on DVRs were network television programs are:
1. Desperate Housewives
2. Survivor
3. CSI
4. Lost
5. American Idol
6. The Apprentice
7. 24
8. ER
9. The O.C.
10. Grey’s Anatomy
DVR penetration in US households now stands at 8 per cent, representing 11.4 million viewers. By 2010, that number is expected to grow to 39 percent, adds the official release.
News Broadcasting
News TV viewership jumps 33 per cent as West Asia war draws audiences
BARC Week 8 data shows news share rising to 8 per cent despite T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI:Â Even as individual television news channel ratings remain under a temporary pause, the genre itself is seeing a clear surge in audience attention.
According to the latest data from Broadcast Audience Research Council India, television news recorded a 33 per cent jump in genre share in Week 8 of 2026, covering February 28 to March 6.
The news genre accounted for 8 per cent of total television viewership during the week, up from 6 per cent the previous week. The spike in attention coincided with escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have kept global headlines firmly fixed on West Asia.
The rise is notable because it came at a time when cricket was dominating television screens. The high-stakes stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including the Super 8 fixtures and semi-finals, were being broadcast during the same period.
Despite the cricket frenzy, viewers appeared to be toggling between sport and global affairs, boosting the overall share of news programming.
The surge in genre share comes even as the government has enforced a one-month pause on publishing ratings for individual news channels. The move followed regulatory scrutiny of the television ratings ecosystem.
While channel-level rankings remain temporarily out of sight, the genre-level data suggests that when global tensions escalate, audiences continue to turn to television news for real-time updates.
