More Worrisome Data on TV Viewing

Some television executives argue that use of digital video recorders explains sharp declines in "live" viewing of most major broadcast networks in the fall of 2012. That might not be entirely true.

It appears that consumer viewing of broadcast TV using a DVR also shows a decline that virtually matches the live TV results, the Wall Street Journal reports. In other words, DVR viewing and real-time "live TV" viewing fell by roughly the same amount. That indicates that a shift to DVR time shifting does not explain the drop of "live TV" viewing. 

The data are going to fuel speculation that people have been spending more time watching on-demand TV or online video.

The more worrisome explanation would be that people are just less interested in TV, overall. Younger people might just be watching less, in particular.