Time-shifted Viewership Ratings and Total Viewership Ratings

Starting last fall, in addition to real-time ratings, measurement of time-shifted viewing began.

With the addition of the new metrics "time-shifted viewership ratings" and "total viewership ratings," we can now capture TV program viewing patterns from multiple angles. We explain the current state of TV viewing revealed by time-shifted viewership measurement.

What is Time-Shifted Viewing?

Starting in October 2016, households participating in the Kanto region's ratings survey began measuring time-shifted viewing in addition to real-time viewing. This measurement captures time-shifted viewing within a 7-day (168-hour) window, regardless of whether the program was watched live. Previously, only "viewership ratings" indicating real-time viewing were used. Now, new metrics—"time-shifted viewership ratings" and "total viewership ratings"—have been added (see figure below). Including time-shifted viewing allows us to capture how many households and individuals watched a program.

 

Relationship between the three viewership metrics

Dramas are frequently watched via time-shift viewing

　To see what types of programs are most commonly watched via timeshift, let's look at the top 10 programs by timeshift ratings from October 3, 2016 to April 2, 2017.

*Due to rounding, "Live + Time-Shifted Ratings" may sometimes be less than "Total Ratings".
※Includes programs 15 minutes or longer broadcast between Monday, October 3, 2016 and Sunday, April 2, 2017 / Only the highest-ranked program of the same name on the same network is listed / All single-episode programs are included

The top spot is held by the October season's "We Married as a Job," followed by the same season's "Quietly Amazing! Proofreader Girl Kono Etsuko" in second, and the January season's "Tokyo Tarareba Girls" in third. Nine out of the top ten programs are dramas. For most ranked dramas, the difference between live ratings and time-shifted ratings is minimal. However, "Doctor X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon" and "A LIFE: Beloved One" show higher live ratings. Even within the same genre, some programs are more likely to be watched live, while others are more likely to be watched via time-shifted viewing, indicating that viewing patterns vary by program.

Sports and news are most commonly watched live

Looking at the top 10 programs by overall ratings during the same period, the top two spots were taken by the New Year's Eve "Kōhaku Uta Gassen," followed by "We Married as a Job" in third, "Doctor X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon" in fourth, and four sports programs and one news program ranked fifth and below.

*Due to rounding, "Live + Time Shift" may sometimes be less than "Total Viewership".
※Data covers programs 15 minutes or longer aired from Monday, October 3, 2016, to Sunday, April 2, 2017. Only the highest-ranked program per station/title is listed. All single-episode programs are included.

Live broadcasts like the Kohaku Uta Gassen, sports events, and news programs, where viewers want quick information or entertainment, tend to have low timeshift viewing and high real-time viewing. Incidentally, among the top 10 programs by viewership rating during the same period, there were 7 sports programs, 2 music programs, and 1 news program; dramas were not ranked. "We Married as a Job" sparked a "Nigehaji" boom, becoming a major internet sensation thanks to its ending "Love Dance" and unique storyline based on a contract marriage. Both live and time-shifted ratings rose from around 10% for the premiere as buzz spread, with the finale achieving 20.8% live, 16.9% time-shifted, and a combined 33.1%. This demonstrates how including time-shifted viewing allows us to confirm the true reach of a program through data.

This time we introduced programs with high combined time-shifted and overall ratings. However, depending on the program genre and content, some shows have more time-shifted viewers, while others have more real-time viewers. We hope you find this useful for understanding the actual viewing patterns of programs.