http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/ Engadget Comments for TiVo's StopWatch to offer up precise viewer statistics http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
otherwise, whoopeee.]]>Feb 1st 2007 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
I stopped reading when I noticed the "a" before "ad-skipper's" should be an "an."]]>Feb 1st 2007 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 9th 2007 9:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 1st 2007 1:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 1st 2007 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/I get to pay Tivo a monthly fee (for what, I still don't understand), and then they turn around and sell my viewing habits and make more money off me?
Sorry Tivo, give up the subscription fees or allow me to opt-out of this data collection.
Tivo doesn't have enough nails in its coffin, it needs this? Can't wait until cheap cablecard Vista boxes end Tivo.]]>Feb 1st 2007 11:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 1st 2007 2:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
As for collecting statistics - DUH! Tivo has done this since day one. They have a very comprehensive privacy policy on their website. READ IT.

The data they collect is aggregate, so it's not like advertisers know that _YOU_ personally are watching reruns of 'Sex In The City' at 3am. If you don't like it, you can tell Tivo to not use your data.
]]>Feb 1st 2007 11:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 1st 2007 1:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
That's the reason "When Stars Go Dancing With Their Assistants' Pets" stays on the air over, say, "Arrested Development." It's cheaper to produce, and people watch it LIVE, with commercials. Unfortunately for those of us with a taste for quality entertainment, we also have a taste for devices that let us enjoy that entertainment on our own time, and in our own way.

We pay companies like TiVo for that privilege, but our behavior only hurts the production and distribution companies that invested big money to provide the programming in the first place.]]>Feb 1st 2007 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
I've always suspected that many more people watch it time-shifted. I must admit that I really enjoy the show as I don't get caught up in the whole Aaron Sorkin soap opera.]]>Feb 1st 2007 12:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://finance.google.com/finance?fstype=ii&cid=663559). If they don't find a way to start making a profit, they are going to go the way of ReplayTV... and who wants that? So more power to TiVo if this lets them continue to innovate and keep us from being stuck with crappy cable company DVRs.]]>Feb 1st 2007 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 1st 2007 1:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 1st 2007 2:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
I like the idea of advertisers getting anonymous feedback from me.]]>Feb 1st 2007 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
According to Nielsen data, the top ranked tv shows pull in between 15% to 20% of American households. That means that at least 80% of Americans are NOT watching the supposedly mainstream shows!]]>Feb 1st 2007 2:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
Of course, there has to be a degree tact to this. I mean, if someone records HBO's Real Sex, but also records a dozen or so other shows, and he invites his friends over to watch the latest MythBusters or the big game, or something like that, an ad for a phalace (sp?) or "personal lubrication" might not be the most appropriate thing.]]>Feb 1st 2007 2:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
I'm glad they're finally doing this. I hope Tivo is charging people LOTS of money for this (how much is Google worth now?). As someone else mentioned, I want advertisers to know that occasionally I do stop and watch commercials, even with Tivo. And even when I do fast forward, there is still "ad retention". I can tell you who sponsers CNet on Tivo eventhough I've never stopped to watch the commercials.]]>Feb 1st 2007 4:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/Feb 1st 2007 8:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/01/tivos-stopwatch-to-offer-up-precise-viewer-statistics/
Do you understand how magazines and newspapers make money? It's selling advertising, not selling subscriptions; they lose money on subscriptions. They keep subscription rates low because they need the bigger audience to get better ad rates. If TiVo ever gets to the point where they can survive on advertising money, they would not keep the subscriptions rates high if lowering them would get them more viewers, and thus, more ad money.

What kills me are the people who think TiVo only exists to allow them to skip ads. That is the least of TiVo's charms. Being able to timeshift effortlessly is what TiVo is all about. Watch what you want when you want, with minimal effort on your part. Ad skipping is simply a byproduct of timeshifting; it isn't TiVo's raison d'etre.

If TiVo's ad strategy means my favorite shows don't get cancelled, great! All you ad skipping TiVo-haters who freak out at the idea of TiVo knowing what you (not you specifically; you in general) watch on TV are cutting off your nose to spite your face. We TiVoites will start to see our favorite shows stick around longer while your favs get the ax because no one knows you are watching them.

Also, ads suck, because they are poorly produced and not properly targeted at people who actually want to see them. If TiVo can encourage ad agencies to produce better ads advertising things I might actually want to buy, ie, if they produce ads I might actually want to watch, then more power to TiVo.

Viva the TiVo intelligent advertising revolution. Down with the self-defeating anti-advertising Luddites.
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