DVR. How bad does it hurt advertisers?

Just a curious question, with the onslaught of DVRs and the ability for the providers to track and sell the information regarding peoples viewing habits, how much has DVRs hurt advertisers, if any?

I have found that I hardly ever watch a television show from the original start time. I always either record the show and watch later or let the show start and then rewind it back to the beginning after 30 minutes or so, depending on the length of the show. I think what started me doing this was all the pharma commercials, I hate them with a passion and found my blood pressure rising when I was forced to endure watching or listening to them. But since the DVR I can always and do just skip right on over all the commercials.

I am wondering what kind of affect has this had on the industry, because I hardly ever sit through a commercial.

Wow never thought about it. I guess it's because I couldn't care less about advertisers who invade the home with overly loud and pointless begging to get me to buy their stuff, when I already have all the stuff I need.

Then again, I don't have DVR because I hate television.

reply to post by Skewed


I hope the printed media gets more attention, that way people like me can get more jobs.

by the way, your post count is 666, lol.

I've had Tivo since about the time they came out. I've often found myself clueless at some off-handed socio-cultural reference due to my watching only what I want when I want. I liken it to the periods of time I've spent outside of the US. I'll come back and feel out of place for a while having missed a lot of garbage everyone else has experienced (TV, Movies, etc).
It used to make me feel uncomfortable (mostly because it reminded me of the feelings I had upon returning after what were oftentimes traumatic experiences abroad). Now I just feel superior in that I don't know the latest drug charge Lindsey has been arrested for or which new catch-phrase Charlie Sheen has come up with.

WINNING!

We have DVR and never watch ads any more. I hope it has a devastating effect on the advertising industry so they will be forced to THINK a bit about what they do. They are always too loud, which makes them extremely annoying so we would turn them down anyway, but the stupidity and stereotyping is rampant. The gadget ones are the ones that get me p.o.'d because they're always targeting the young kids. I can count on one hand the number of ads that either made me think or were entertaining enough to watch twice. Some of the ones I liked best over the years have been shown once or twice and then pulled for some reason...go figure.

I don't watch anything live anymore.

I'll simply select a recorded half hour show and watch it (about 20 min going through commercials, and I'm real good these days at skipping them at x3 speed, and stopping right when I need to). Then, enough has recorded of another so I can avoid the commercials there too.

However, if a commercial catches my eye as I'm going through, sure, I'll watch. So, I'd think advertisers just need to go back to oh, I don't know, making INTERESTING commercials, and then maybe we'll watch them?

reply to post by Skewed


I almost always watch a show after it was recorded so I can skip the commercials it is one of the best benefits to having a DVR.

I did find a study though that states (surprisingly) that DVR actually help commercial viewing.

The research shows that C3 ratings rise 16%, thanks to people watching commercials while using a DVR. That data is for 18- to-49-year-olds for ABC, CBS, CW, Fox and NBC combined.

The commercial viewing average for the networks' live feeds -- during the April 29-May 26 period -- was a 1.78, which rose to a 2.06 for C3. C3 ratings take into account commercial viewing for a live broadcast, plus over the ensuing three days with DVRs.

Time-Shifted Viewers Still Watch Commercials