TV Networks: Digital Recorders Boost Viewership

“Advertisers and investors have watched the entry of DVRs into the mass market, led by TiVo, with a wary eye for several years. Some predicted the features that let viewers skip ads and watch programs at their convenience would spell the death of ad-supported broadcast TV and its prime-time programming schedule. But in their research on the use of DVRs, the television networks said the technology offered an opportunity to attract viewers who might otherwise miss shows when they first air.”