How much do ratings tumble in TV's primetime when the program gives way to a commercial?" />


How much do ratings tumble in TV's primetime when the program gives way to a commercial?" /> Thanks for the Show, Guess I'll Skip the Commercial <br clear="none"/><br clear="none"/><br clear="none"/><br clear="none"/>How much do ratings tumble in TV's primetime when the program gives way to a commercial?


How much do ratings tumble in TV's primetime when the program gives way to a commercial?" />



How much do ratings tumble in TV’s primetime when the program gives way to a commercial?" data-categories = "" data-popup = "" data-ads = "Yes" data-company = "[]" data-outstream = "yes" data-auth = "">

Thanks for the Show, Guess I'll Skip the Commercial



How much do ratings tumble in TV's primetime when the program gives way to a commercial?

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A fair amount, though perhaps not as much as you’d guess (or fear) given the obsession with zipping and zapping. And the degree of drop-off depends on which program source you’re watching, according to a new analysis of Arbitron numbers by Backer Spielvolgel Bates.
For affiliates of the three big networks, the primetime rating for commercial minutes averaged 7.9% lower than for program minutes. For independents and Fox affiliates the differential was wider, with commercial time getting ratings 12.8% lower than the programs. Cable networks showed an average drop-off of 14.3% from program to commercial time.
For broadcasting’s big three, the differential was widest in the 10:30-10:59 block (10.9%) and smallest in the 8:30-8:59 block (5.8%). And their in-program commercial pods fared 7.4% better than commercials at the end of shows.
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