I read a very interesting article in this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly entitled “Are You Killing TV?” I often gloss over these articles, only reading what truly interests me…like I skipped right over that Michael Moore movie article without a thought. But the title of this made me want to see how exactly I WAS KILLING TV. Turns out that I am exactly who this article is aimed at. I was surprised to read that they estimate that only 17% of homes have a DVR – I’d think it would be higher. What I do is what the major network bigwigs have termed ”time shifting.” I watch the shows, just not when the networks want me to watch it. I realize that I am costing the networks ratings and precious commercial dollars, but that is not really my concern. I was also interested to learn that the networks now account for people like me when doing there reporting. The article states that the networks are putting forth a “live plus three” ratings system that is appeasing the commercial sponsors. The theory (flawed, IMO) is that commercials are not necessarily being skipped, just watched up to three days later on the DVR. Also, apparently Nielson factors time-shifting into its overall ratings number (started in December 2005) though they don’t say how they do this and it seems impossible to me for them to track such things.
Maybe I just view this differently. I’m not particularly a rebel, but I DO like to have things on my terms, especially in my home. I remarked to my Dad last week how amazing it is that I used to sit around to watch Woody Woodpecker until 4 pm but my son can demand Thomas the Tank Engine (especially the Henry or Gordon episodes) and I just pull them up from our playlist. Now with my little to no attention span, hatred of commercials that last 5 minutes, long spans of repeats during certain months of the year, and the overall inability to wait for anything, I have turned my TV watching into series of must-have shows that I manage to watch on a rainy Saturday or boring night. I have a total of 3 tivos in my home, two of which are actively running right now as the third sits in our guest room awaiting the move into a nursery for my next maternity leave and late night feedings this fall. And wow! has my life gotten even better since we bought an HD tivo for our downstairs family room 14 months ago.
I have truly turned my TV watching into an art. I record a months worth of shows and then watch them continuously so as not to have to wait for anything! And,what I have managed to do is not EVER watch a TV show live (**After reading through this, I correct myself. I watch The Sopranos live. However, there are no commercials). Even if I am watching a show in “real time” – like American Idol or Dancing with the Stars (did I just admit to being an avid viewer of these shows???), I’m really not. Let me explain this art. I am too frustrated with watching 5 minutes of show to get 5 minutes or more of commercials. So I will at 8 pm begin watching another of my recorded shows (like Law & Order: CI). When that is over in 40 minutes, I turn to AI or DWTS and somehow with the art of skipping the commercials manage to watch every ounce of tv action and end the show before the hour is up! Unbelievable…and when I’m forced to sit through an hour of filler to find out who is voted off the next night, well, I’m sure you can figure out what I do – and I still manage to see the fine performances by Gwen Stefani, Fergie, etc. that I deem worthwhile for me. Confusing? Maybe, but my time is too short to watch an hour of filler and commercials. On top of the weekly shows, I also check out each week the movies running on HBO, TNT, Pay-Per-View, etc. to record. I like this because it gives me that chance to see movies I would never pay $10 to see in the theater or rent the DVD. I actually have not rented a DVD in over 2 years because of this.
So back to the DVR article. Am I supposed to feel guilty that TV networks (boo hoo…sniff sniff…) are being short-changed by the DVR revolution? I can certainly say that I am not guilty. Here is a piece of technical wonder that has been created just for me to suit my lifestyle and my everyday needs. I want to partake in what TV has to offer, but at my convenience. Lost on at 10 pm??? I’m in bed by 9 pm! So at least I’m still able to watch a show that got me hooked when 2 years ago it premiered at 8 pm ET! Unable to find Scrubs because NBC has moved it to different nights/time slots 5 times in the last 2 years??? The networks need to adapt and realize that people with the means will still have it their way.
Posted by Jen Webb
