C-3POh No! Broadcasters Agitate for Better Ratings Currency

Push to adopt C7 metric heats up as live ratings falter

Troubled by historically weak prime-time deliveries, broadcast executives have begun making a case for adopting a more expansive ratings currency, one that would wring more favorable results from time-shifting viewers.

Speaking to analysts during last week’s third-quarter earnings call, CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves noted that the Tiffany Network’s fall ratings improved by 30 percent when seven days of DVR viewing was blended in with the live-plus-same-day data.

“As we move forward, we will make it a priority to get paid for all of the viewing that is going on across our shows, including DVR viewing beyond C3,” Moonves said, adding that the bonus credits “represent a significant opportunity for us that is still in the very early stages.”

A bit later in the call, Moonves allowed that while the majority of time-shifted viewing occurs within the first three days of the original air date, there was extra value to be...

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