Time-Shifted Is a Boost to Ratings and Advertisers’ Reach
Today, almost all TV viewers control what they watch and when they watch it. They don’t want to be spoon-fed programs as the networks did during the traditional TV period.
The first factor driving this behavior is older: the use of a DVR box to record a current program for future viewing. The second factor is the proliferation of streaming services (Netflix, Hulu) added to the flood of programming from the traditional and cable networks. Plus, streaming services as well as vMVPDs (virtual multichannel video programming distributors, think Sling TV and YouTube TV) also include a built-in DVR capability.
Add most people’s ever-busier days and nights, and it’s no wonder they’ve turned to the freedom of delayed, or time-shifted, viewing. Nielsen defines as content viewed after its original, live broadcast and the following day to as many as 35 days later.
In a recent article, Nielsen stated US adults 18+ watched almost 4 hours of delayed content during Q1 2019. Additional research and reporting from Nielsen indicate when people delayed their viewing of previously broadcasted programming, all content genres experienced a 10% viewership lift.
This equates to an average of 2.7 million additional viewers. Better yet, the lift among advertisers’ favorite 18–49 adult segment was 14%, which calculates to 1.1 million additional viewers.
Nielsen then presented lift data for viewers’ popular genres and primetime dramas were the big winners among all persons 2+ as well as adults 18–49.
Popular Genres’ Viewership Lifts, October–December 2018
|
Genre |
Persons 2+ |
Adults 18–49 |
|
Primetime dramas |
45% |
60% |
|
Evening animation |
36% |
43% |
|
Sitcoms |
23% |
36% |
|
Variety (participation) |
22% |
28% |
|
Children’s shows |
22% |
23% |
Nielsen, October 2019
It’s clear delayed, or time-shifted, viewing is a benefit to advertisers who ran commercials during the original broadcasts of programs in these genres. It’s a strong selling point to include in your prospect presentations because no other local advertising medium can deliver a similar benefit.
