Re: Top 10 most-watched/most-DVRed shows of 2009

On Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:23:54 -0500, "Obveeus" <Obveeus@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Replying to both you and David, so please note the attributions.

David wrote:
Obveeus wrote:
If they were really worth watching, people wouldn't be DVRing them so
much.

You're forgetting that there's an entire group of people who DVR for
completely different reasons--because they *do* find a show worth
watching, and want to be able to watch it again because they like it
so much, or want to watch it without interruption by bypassing
commercials.

The shows high on the DVR numbers are frequently the ones that are barely
worth watching (so FF through lots of the junk: the Academy Awards are a
great example of this)

Conversely, some of us think that those kinds of shows are perfect for
live viewing, where we can multitask by doing something else when it's
on, because we won't care if we miss something. We don't even need to
bother pressing the FF button <g>.

I think the opposite is true. Young people and/or technology adapters
prefer watching shows they like or shows that require their full
attention at a time of their choosing, and watch live tv when they
just feel like watching whatever's on.

David, I don't think it's just young people or technology adapters
(DVR owners, you mean?) Even with a VCR, I remember taping THE WEST
WING all those years ago because I wanted to watch it again later. And
really, mostly because Toby mumbled way too often and I'd miss a line
or two of dialogue and had to rewind. No way I'd have chosen to watch
it live over something else, unless I could also tape it at the same
time.

Shows like American idol require full attention? Nope. I think they are
simply shows where a significant portion of the audience is skimming the
show with the FF button engages for large portions.

I understand the motivation of skimming, but AI is a poor example here
because it's a show where timeliness matters, especially when there's
a timed window for voting. It's a show where people watch live for
that reason, I imagine.

People are watching the show they care about (the water cooler
shows like Survivor or Grey's Anatomy) live while sending shows they can
'get around to later' (like Supernatural) to the DVR. [..]
I agree with your idea that Thursday has 'too many good shows', but the
result is simply that different people are choosing differently as to which
ones are worth watching live and which ones can be dumped to DVR for the
late night or weekend.

Again, you're missing the point that there are different and totally
opposite motivations for using the DVR. I often record the show I like
*more*, because I get to watch it again, or because I get to pause or
rewind if I miss something. I watch a lesser show live because if I
miss something, I don't care as much.

Now you sound like Ian; watching some rerun of the dead body shows and
saving all the good shows for a day or two later. Why live your life a day
or two behind everyone else?

Because that may be when I finally have time to give a show the
necessary attention it deserves. And that in turn significantly
increases my enjoyment of the show.

And then there are people who start watching DVRed shows 15 minutes
after they start to avoid commercials, which is probably exclusively
the technologically savvy

Or just the very impatient! <g>
.

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