The Real Story Behind the Ratings

The 2012-13 television season is shaping up as the year the DVR finally hits the tipping point. Sure, younger viewers have been crafting their own schedules via streaming, on-demand, delayed and DVD viewing. But this season, new and returning shows are adding significant audiences as nearly 46 percent of U.S. households now have a DVR (up from 42 percent last season). The second episode of NBC's Revolution jumped more than 50 percent to a 5.2 rating among adults 18-to-49 with three days of delayed viewing; the premiere of CBS' Vegas grew 28 percent to a 3.2; and ABC's Modern Family season bow increased 33 percent to a 7.3 rating. Compared with premiere week last year (excluding sports and Saturday), the four networks' aggregate three-day lift totaled 41 percent among the 18-to-49 set. "Good news for broadcasters," says David Poltrack, chief research officer at CBS, "because sampling is what it's all about." Here's how the networks are doing: