According to The Futon Critic, for the week of 10/8/2007, the ratings on several shows on The CW, including Supernatural, went up based on numbers from delayed DVR viewing. As reported on cnnMoney.com, Nielsen Media Research has developed a way to track DVR ratings: "Live Plus Same Day" measures viewings on a DVR the same day the show aired, "Live +3" tracks viewings up to 3 days after, and "Live+7" tracks viewings up to 7 days after. (The ratings company has also developed a way to tell what commercials DVR users watch).

The CW's horror drama series Supernatural picked up 21-34% more viewers using "live + 7" compared to measuring only same day ratings. Supernatural gained a 21% higher rating for women 18-34, up to 1.6 from 1.32, and was 28% higher for adults 18-34, up to 1.25 from .98.

With episodes of TV series available for download from vendors such as itunes, networks streaming episodes on their websites, and the increased use of DVR's, the TV industry has been looking beyond the traditional "Nielsen household" rating system. The black boxes attached to selected household televisions doesn't tell the full picture anymore, and other methods of watching are becoming more common. Overnight ratings are now an incomplete picture.

This is good news for a show like Supernatural, which despite its appealing mix of drama, humor, and horror exists "on the bubble." Its ratings are just enough that a smaller network like The CW will keep it around, but the numbers are borderline. Supernatural has the added disadvantage of airing on Thursday nights opposite two ratings hits, ABC's Grey's Anatomy and CBS's CSI.

Sources: The Futon Critic and cnnMoney.com

Download Supernatural on