The pure program rating is a new metric in the Stop Watch national ratings of TiVo. Audience measures for commercials and promotions have been separated from the programming for the first time. This type of purified rating is complementary to the second by second ratings that TiVo provides. These ratings enable a better understanding of viewing habits of programming and commercials.
The May 7 episode of Grey’s Anatomy was 17.0 for the program and the commercial rating was 2.7. This shows that 84 percent of the viewers fast forwarded the advertisements. This distinction gives us a better understanding of audience behavior and lets us know which shows viewers watch that hold their attention even during commercial breaks.
As the viewing patterns of television become more complex, rating services might become more detailed also. TiVo is likely to continue to modify and better the measurement of ratings. The first local commercial ratings in San Francisco; Orlando, Fla; and Tucson, Ariz are to be available later in the summer.
TiVo is also likely to use some of this data to develop innovative advertising and new ways to show advertisements. The advertisements are to be like online ads and will be hard to ignore.
