PING: Jon Re: 46% of TiVO Watchers do not skip ads

[albionmoonlight]

46% Watch DVR With Commercials - The Atlantic Business Channel

I love to use my DVR to fast-forward through commercials. In a one-hour show, I can knock out generally just under 20 minutes of advertisements. That means DVR makes TV watching around 30% more efficient. I can then use the saved time to do something useful or entertaining. According to a New York Times article today, not everyone has the same attitude as I do when it comes to skipping commercials. In fact, nearly half of DVR users let the advertisements play. While I found this shocking at first, I shouldn't have.
The Times says:

Against almost every expectation, nearly half of all people watching delayed shows are still slouching on their couches watching messages about movies, cars and beer. According to Nielsen, 46 percent of viewers 18 to 49 years old for all four networks taken together are watching the commercials during playback, up slightly from last year. Why would people pass on the opportunity to skip through to the next chunk of program content?
The most basic reason, according to Brad Adgate, the senior vice president for research at Horizon Media, a media buying firm, is that the behavior that has underpinned television since its invention still persists to a larger degree than expected.
"It's still a passive activity," he said.

In other words, that 46% of people don't want to be bothered to hit the fast-forward button on the remote, because they're too busy vegging out in front of the TV. When you think about it, this makes a lot of sense. As Adgate (which, by the way, is an amazing name for a media buying firm executive) reminds us, TV isn't an active sport. Many people consider relaxation a key part of television. So quickly hitting the fast-forward button when commercials begin to minimize the time spent watching isn't in the equation. Even though I don't relate, I can understand that.
Yet, these days, some more active shows are wildly popular. For example, reality shows like American Idol involve viewer participation by voting for contestants. Yet, active reality shows like this are the least likely to be watched on DVR, because they're treated much like sporting events -- watching live matters to people. So the shows that people watch most passively are also the most likely to viewed later on DVR.
There's little doubt that TV executives are thrilled with this news from Nielsen. In a sense, many people's laziness outweighs their hatred for ads. At first glance, this doesn't appear to be particularly good news for internet advertising: most banner ads urge users to click on them -- which requires an active behavior.
Yet, it may depend on the kind of internet user -- passive or active. Internet use is more active than TV, so banner ads might work for some people after all. But other users are more passive. For them, online video ads might work better. With most such advertisements, you can click on an "x" somewhere to turn them off. But maybe if so many people are passive about TV ads, the same behavior will apply to ads that interrupt internet surfing. Through this logic, a mix of internet ad type might be the best approach.

I figure that you know these numbers already. But they suprise the heck out of me. If I have a game on or something in the background, then I will sit through commercials.

But if I like a show enough to TiVo it, then I will be engaged while watching it. It seems strange to me that a "passive" watcher cares enough to TiVo a show and then just veg out. Why not just put on Sportscenter (or a similar type show) if you are in a vegging mood?

Anyway, I imagine that the ad business (which strikes me as never that boring) has gotten a lot more interesting with the technologies of the last two years.

[Kodos]

I don't even watch sports live anymore. With football, there are so many commercials--how can people sit through all of them? Do we really need commercial breaks before and after kickoffs?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

If I'm solely focused on the show, I always fast forward. There are times when I'm cooking or taking care of the kid where I don't notice that there's a commercial, but I think they're saying that people just let it run even when focused on the show. That's just crazy talk.

[JonInMiddleGA]

In some ways more interesting, in other respects it's business as usual (what business is left anyway).

What I'm referring to is that, at least the smarter planners & buyers IMO, we know that it's all just estimates & always has been. For as much as it gets presented as a science, any of the numbers have always been estimates not precise. So the 48% who don't skip (and that's in line with what virtually every study has shown +/-) are considered & weighed & analyzed to death ... but in the end we know the same thing is true that's always been true: it all basically boils down to best available guesses.

And nothing about the 48% surprises me, for the very reason cited here: TV is still a passive activity for a big chunk of the population. The other factor not addressed here is how many aren't ff'ing through commercials because they're barely paying attention to the TV in the first place, because they're multitasking while even the DVR'ed shows are on.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Do we really need commercial breaks before and after kickoffs?

You do if you want the games to remain financially attractive enough to put on the air in the first place.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

If I'm solely focused on the show, I always fast forward. There are times when I'm cooking or taking care of the kid where I don't notice that there's a commercial, but I think they're saying that people just let it run even when focused on the show. That's just crazy talk.

agreed.

[MikeVic]

I don't mind commercials, I even like some of them. I'll usually watch a new commercial once, and if it sucks I tune it out next time it's on. If it's good, I usually even pay attention to it next time.

I don't have a PVR, so this is just from watching TV.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I always fast forward through commercials. Always. I often mute commercials if I am watching live. I can't stand them.

Other than sports, I never watch live TV. Because of all the commercials, other than, say, a playoff game, the only way I can really watch live sports is either while also being on the internet or with a friend.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

they're saying that people just let it run even when focused on the show. That's just crazy talk.

Sounds like you're falling into a common trap, which is assuming that your behavior is typical.

What that fails to take into account are people like my parents, who are good for 2-3 hours of primetime viewing every night of the week but who've never channel surfed at all when viewing live & therefore have a much stronger habit of leaving a show on when it's on. TV is for veg time for them & that's not unique. Nearly half of the most DVR'ed shows are ones that are strongest in the older demo's, so while DVR itself skews younger there's going to be some influence of the behavior of the older viewers who aren't typically as short attention spanned/impatient as the younger ones.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I don't mind commercials, I even like some of them. I'll usually watch a new commercial once, and if it sucks I tune it out next time it's on. If it's good, I usually even pay attention to it next time.

I don't have a PVR, so this is just from watching TV.

First Halloween Apples, now PVR? You Canadians really are weird.

[JonInMiddleGA]

In fairness, I should note that "virtually all" studies showing comparable results is not the same as "all". The most notable is TiVo's own data release in October which claimed 73% of drama viewers skipped commercials, about 2/3rds of all types of programs had skippers. What I haven't seen is data from them about what that actually means; i.e. did they count anyone who ever skipped a commercial or the amount of commercials minutes they skipped or some other possibilities?

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Sounds like you're falling into a common trap, which is assuming that your behavior is typical.

What that fails to take into account are people like my parents, who are good for 2-3 hours of primetime viewing every night of the week but who've never channel surfed at all when viewing live & therefore have a much stronger habit of leaving a show on when it's on. TV is for veg time for them & that's not unique. Nearly half of the most DVR'ed shows are ones that are strongest in the older demo's, so while DVR itself skews younger there's going to be some influence of the behavior of the older viewers who aren't typically as short attention spanned/impatient as the younger ones.

This is true, I think. I don't think the average FOFCer is expected to be typical to the average TV viewer here. Hell, when I was kid I remember staying over at friends' houses, and hearing parents tell me that they just leave the TV on one channel the whole night instead of changing it. Seemed like the most bizarre thing in the world to me, but it happens.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Nearly half of the most DVR'ed shows are ones that are strongest in the older demo's, so while DVR itself skews younger there's going to be some influence of the behavior of the older viewers who aren't typically as short attention spanned/impatient as the younger ones.

It doesn't really have anything to do with a short attention span or being impatient. I've just come to realize that I can watch 1 hour of programming on Tivo/DVR in 40 minutes when removing commercials. I've got two jobs and a kid. That's a big deal to save 20 minutes of my time while enjoying more of the shows that I like in the limited time I do have available.

[Alan T]

I DVR almost everything and usually watch the shows during the day as I get time. I don't fast forward through the commercials, but I wouldn't say that I watch the commercials either.

I find the commercial time to be the best time to take a bathroom break, get some chores done, work, or whatever. I just don't like sitting still on a couch/chair/whatever for 40 minutes straight usually, so the commercial breaks are a nice break for me.

That doesn't mean I watch the commercials however. I just don't fast forward through them usually.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

First Halloween Apples, now PVR? You Canadians really are weird.

Want to know something else? I didn't have cable for the past year either.

[Greyroofoo]

Why the hell do people still have cable?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

It doesn't really have anything to do with a short attention span or being impatient. I've just come to realize that I can watch 1 hour of programming on Tivo/DVR in 40 minutes when removing commercials. I've got two jobs and a kid. That's a big deal to save 20 minutes of my time while enjoying more of the shows that I like in the limited time I do have available.

I disagree, as you're displaying an impatience for spending an hour on what is ostensibly an hour show. IMO, if your time were that precious, you wouldn't be watching crap on TV in the first place.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Alan T

That doesn't mean I watch the commercials however. I just don't fast forward through them usually.

Meaning your behavior is in line with that of traditional TV "viewing" (because no one on my end of the business is actually dumb enough to think everyone has stayed glued to the TV during commercials since somewhere back in the 50's)

[Kodos]

We're just getting more reward per hour of crap TV watched by skipping commercials. Crap TV = reward, crap commercials = punishment.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

Why the hell do people still have cable?

I'm not even sure I understand the motive behind this question?

Is this a "DIRECTV RULES, CABLE DROOLZZ!" post?

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Want to know something else? I didn't have cable for the past year either.

That's fine -- as long as you don't call it "wired TV" or something else just as lame.

[digamma]

We call vegging to the extent you forget to fast forward through the commercials TIVOLEPSY.

[Greyroofoo]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I'm not even sure I understand the motive behind this question?

Is this a "DIRECTV RULES, CABLE DROOLZZ!" post?

This is really about that with all the video that is on the internet these days, why pay for cable?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

This is really about that with all the video that is on the internet these days, why pay for cable?

Because it's hard to half watch something on the computer when you're multitasking an MMORPG?

Because you don't like watching TV on a monitor sized screen?

Because relatively little of what I (halfway) watch on TV is online in an easy to find fashion?

Because trying to watch online video is a mixed bag at best for many with frequent interruptions, skips, drops, and outright crashes?

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Sports.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Because it's hard to half watch something on the computer when you're multitasking an MMORPG?

Because you don't like watching TV on a monitor sized screen?

Because relatively little of what I (halfway) watch on TV is online in an easy to find fashion?

Because trying to watch online video is a mixed bag at best for many with frequent interruptions, skips, drops, and outright crashes?

Yeah, I thought I'd answered this one before.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

because they're multitasking while even the DVR'ed shows are on.

I do this. It's great to be working or ironing or making dinner or whatever and, if I miss a good play, I just rewind and watch it.

Having said that, I'll sometimes rewind while skipping commercials when I see one that looks funny at fast-forward.

Originally Posted by digamma

We call vegging to the extent you forget to fast forward through the commercials TIVOLEPSY.

That's awesome. I'm totally going to start using that word.

[Passacaglia]

Of course, now we need a word for when you see a commercial coming, and grab the remote, not remembering that you're watching live TV.

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

It's great to be working or ironing or making dinner or whatever and, if I miss a good play, I just rewind and watch it.

you sound like an awesome homemaker. fwiw, i like to watch tv while reading Family Circle.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Of course, now we need a word for when you see a commercial coming, and grab the remote, not remembering that you're watching live TV.

If you come up with a word for it, you can apply it to me. I watch so little live TV that I always expect to be able to FF commercials.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by lighthousekeeper

you sound like an awesome homemaker. fwiw, i like to watch tv while reading Family Circle.

I am quite a catch, yes.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

Why the hell do people still have cable?

I can't even get satellite where I live, only cable

[RainMaker]

I can't watch sports on my DVR. For some reason I just can't get into a game that I know has happened already. I'll sometimes watch repeats of games when they're on but I always know the outcome.

[Kodos]

What about starting behind and catching up to live by end of game?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I can't watch sports on my DVR. For some reason I just can't get into a game that I know has happened already. I'll sometimes watch repeats of games when they're on but I always know the outcome.

I usually watch football on a delay. When the game starts, I'll pause the game. Then I come back in an hour and I still end up catching up with live action by the middle of the 4th quarter. You'd be amazed how many things you can get done in an hour.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

This is really about that with all the video that is on the internet these days, why pay for cable?

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Because it's hard to half watch something on the computer when you're multitasking an MMORPG?

Because you don't like watching TV on a monitor sized screen?

Because relatively little of what I (halfway) watch on TV is online in an easy to find fashion?

Because trying to watch online video is a mixed bag at best for many with frequent interruptions, skips, drops, and outright crashes?

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Yeah, I thought I'd answered this one before.

What they said.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

I usually watch football on a delay. When the game starts, I'll pause the game. Then I come back in an hour and I still end up catching up with live action by the middle of the 4th quarter. You'd be amazed how many things you can get done in an hour.

This is me. I will only add that I ignore phone calls so I don't get a "What a game!" or "We suck." phone call. I almost have it down to a science. I start all Bengal games at 12:45. This usually catches me up towards the end of the 4th qtr and allows me to switch to the endings of other games as well at that time. I can't even imagine having to sit through the halftime show, I would rather watch the commercials.

[sabotai]

I do that with Around The Horn and PTI. Pause at 5, start watching around 5:20 and end up catching up to them around 6 when PTI is ending.

[albionmoonlight]

Having spent a fair amount of holiday time with my in-laws, I understand this now. People just use TiVo differently than I do. When I TiVo a show, it is because it is one of the handful of shows that I really care about watching and paying attention to. (There was an exception when my son was really little and I would TiVo a lot of fluff stuff to watch when I was up rocking him at 3AM).

But my in-laws TiVo lots of shows that are sort of inherently background-type shows and then just play them when they are in the room. Sometimes they remember to fast forward the commercials. Most times, they don't b/c they are only sort of half-watching the show in the first place.

46% makes a lot more sense to me now.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Having spent a fair amount of holiday time with my in-laws, I understand this now. People just use TiVo differently than I do. When I TiVo a show, it is because it is one of the handful of shows that I really care about watching and paying attention to. (There was an exception when my son was really little and I would TiVo a lot of fluff stuff to watch when I was up rocking him at 3AM).

But my in-laws TiVo lots of shows that are sort of inherently background-type shows and then just play them when they are in the room. Sometimes they remember to fast forward the commercials. Most times, they don't b/c they are only sort of half-watching the show in the first place.

46% makes a lot more sense to me now.

But that's a special occasion, right? A family get-together is different from most other TV viewing.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

But that's a special occasion, right? A family get-together is different from most other TV viewing.

I think that the fact that we were there made it a bit more conversation focused than normal. However, they were up for over a week for Thanksgiving (at their request, I started to TiVo some shows for them) and we were down for almost two weeks for Christmas, so I think that I managed to see them somewhat in their normal patterns.

[Lathum]

I second Albion. My MIL tapes Dr. Oz, Ellen, etc... then goes and does shit in the kitchen etc...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I think that the fact that we were there made it a bit more conversation focused than normal. However, they were up for over a week for Thanksgiving (at their request, I started to TiVo some shows for them) and we were down for almost two weeks for Christmas, so I think that I managed to see them somewhat in their normal patterns.

Makes sense to me. They're "watching" it pretty much the same way they always have.

[Marc Vaughan]

I watch commercials the vast majority of the time on DirectTV when watching recordings but my daughter hates doing so.

The reason I do it, they last only a couple of minutes and whenever you fast forward over them you end up over-running and rewinding and otherwise faffing about ... plus tbh sometimes they're better than the program itself

[lungs]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

I watch commercials the vast majority of the time on DirectTV when watching recordings but my daughter hates doing so.

The reason I do it, they last only a couple of minutes and whenever you fast forward over them you end up over-running and rewinding and otherwise faffing about ... plus tbh sometimes they're better than the program itself

Doesn't yours go back a second or two from where you hit play? My reflexes are good enough that I see the show come back on and hit play it goes back to the very last split second of the commercial.

[Kodos]

Yeah, if you have decent remote skills, it works great. I wish there was a 25-second skip option to account for teams that snap the ball quicker. That messes up my speed-watching sometimes. Or they could let you program how long you want the skip button to go.

[Vince, Pt. II]

It'd be great if they could program in flags for the end of a commercial break so that a DVR could automatically do that - but that would never happen.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by lungs

Doesn't yours go back a second or two from where you hit play? My reflexes are good enough that I see the show come back on and hit play it goes back to the very last split second of the commercial.

I think that may only be Tivo? (I have tivo, so I'm not sure)

[lynchjm24]

Directv's DVR sucks for stopping when you hit the button. Comcast was much better and easier to hit the right time on the commercials. On DTV on the faster speeds it goes like 15-20 behind when you hit the button.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

I think that may only be Tivo? (I have tivo, so I'm not sure)

The Cox DVR does it.