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iTunes Credited with Boosting Primetime Ratings

Posted by samzenpus on from the the-more-you-watch-the-more-you-watch dept.

grandgator writes "TV Week reports on NBC's claims that iTunes downloads are boosting ratings for their primetime shows. Citing one example 'NBC's "The Office" delivered a 5.1-its highest ratings ever-last Thursday among adults 18 to 49, a bump the network credits in large part to the show's popularity as an iPod download. Such a connection between podcast success and broadcast ratings success is particularly significant because the NBC data is among the first available evidence of what network executives have been gambling on when striking their new media deals-that the new video platforms are additive because they provide more entry points into a show for consumers.'"

5 of 263 comments (clear)

  1. podcast by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Speaking of The Office (original version), and iTunes. Ricky Gervais has a podcast. See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/rickygervais/

  2. Makes sence by Aqua+OS+X · · Score: 5, Informative

    Although I'm fairly disappointed in the way Apple delivers their TV content (too small, can't burn to DVD, etc), iTunes is the reason I have started to tune into shows such as The Office.

    Moreover, it's the only (legal) way I can watch Battlestar Galactica on a weekly basis.

    --
    "Things are more moderner than before- bigger, and yet smaller- it's computers-- San Dimas High School football RULES!"
    1. Re:Makes sence by cmdrbuzz · · Score: 3, Informative

      True, not everyone lives in the US, however in order to be-able to purchase TV shows from iTunes, you have to have a US credit card.

  3. The irony by Stan+Vassilev · · Score: 4, Informative

    "TV Week reports on NBC's claims that iTunes downloads are boosting ratings for their primetime shows."

    This comes after weeks long scandals by the TV networks that the iPod videos would ruin their ratings.

    Well this is great, because MPAA and RIAA will finally acknowledge the need for legal instant internet movie downloads, and stop claiming that piracy costs them in the billions ignoring the promotion value! Not.

  4. Re:What is a 5.1? by TobascoKid · · Score: 3, Informative

    Oops, actually that's the rating in the 18-49 demographic - so 5.1% of 18 - 49 year olds watched the show. You also get household ratings, which just tell you what percentage of households watched a show. So while a show may get a household rating of 3, it might get a 18-49 of 5 - meaning that the show is more popular among people 18 - 49 than against the population in general.

    18-49 is considered a good demographic to target - as they do most of the spending.

    --
    At some point, somewhere, the entire internet will be found to be illegal.