'Desperate Housewives' Towers Over Other New Fall Shows in TiVo Weekly Season Pass Ratings

ABC's Hit Tops Weekly Ratings, But Also Leads Other New Fall Shows in Indicator That Shows Ratings Strength for the Long Haul

ALVISO, Calif., Oct. 29 -- ABC's hit sitcom "Desperate Housewives" shot to the number one spot in TiVo's weekly ratings this week, becoming the first new fall show to top the weekly ratings report. The sitcom also occupies a top slot on the TiVo(R) Season Pass(TM) Hot 100, an indicator of the show's ability to win viewers over the entire season.

The TiVo Season Pass Hot 100 ranks programs according to how many TiVo subscribers have requested a recording of the entire season of a show. "Desperate Housewives" comes in at number 3 on that list. About 18 percent of all 2 million TiVo boxes are programmed to record every episode in the inaugural season of the show. The number of Season Pass requests for "Desperate Housewives" has tripled since the show's debut earlier this month.

Other new fall shows that appear to have generated viewer passion that has driven the programs to the top of the TiVo Season Pass Hot 100 include ABC's "Lost" and NBC's "Joey." "Lost" comes in at the number four spot on the Hot 100, with about 17 percent of TiVo boxes requesting a Season Pass. "Joey" comes in at number six on the Hot 100, indicating about 14 percent of TiVo boxes will record every episode this season of the Friends spin-off.

"Ratings indicate which shows are winning the weekly horse race, but the TiVo Season Pass Hot 100 may indicate which shows are really going to be around for the long haul because they show how many viewers so enjoyed the program, they don't want to miss a single episode," said John Ghashghai, director of audience measurement for TiVo. "The TiVo Season Pass Hot 100 also is a window into the world of television viewing in the future, when viewers can more easily choose what they want to watch and when."

With an audience that exceeds 2 million subscriptions, the TiVo Season Pass Hot 100 carries more significance than ever for networks because the ratings can indicate which new programs are building a strong base of viewers for an entire season. Almost 20 percent of the TiVo subscription base, about 350,000 households, will now see every episode of "Desperate Housewives" that airs this season.

Other new shows have seen some ratings success, but aren't showing the same long term potential. For example, ABC's "Boston Legal," the new legal drama that replaces "The Practice," ranks number 17 on the TiVo Top 25 ratings report. But, "Boston Legal" ranks 40th on the TiVo Season Pass Hot 100, indicating fewer than 6 percent of all TiVo boxes have been scheduled to record the entire season of the show.

WB's "Jack and Bobby," a drama about the early lives of two siblings and one's eventual path to the White House, has not yet attracted a passionate TiVo viewing base. The show comes in at 83 on the TiVo Season Pass Hot 100, narrowly surpassing reruns of "Seinfeld." About 3.3 percent of TiVo boxes have a Season Pass scheduled for the show.

The TiVo Season Pass Hot 100 and the TiVo Top 25 weekly ratings report are compiled from anonymous data delivered by boxes in a random sample of more than 20,000 households. No personally identifiable viewing information is ever collected in the compiling of this ratings information. To see the entire TiVo Season Pass Hot 100 and the TiVo Top 25 ratings report, please visit, http://www.tivo.com/hot100.

About TiVo Inc.

Founded in 1997, TiVo, a pioneer in home entertainment, created a brand new category of products with the development of the first digital video recorder (DVR). Today, the Company continues to revolutionize the way consumers watch and access home entertainment by making TiVo the focal point of the digital living room, a center for sharing and experiencing television, music, photos and other content. TiVo connects consumers to the digital entertainment they want, where and when they want it. The Company is based in Alviso, Calif. N

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SOURCE TiVo Inc.
Web Site: http://www.tivo.com