TiVo CEO: Popular TV doesn't mean watched ads

CARLSBAD, Calif.--The idea that just because a TV show is popular that lots of people are watching the accompanying ads is a myth, says Tom Rogers.

And Rogers would know. As TiVo's CEO, Rogers has access to data that shows just how many people watch how many seconds of which commercial. Now, obviously that correlation is greater among non-TiVo customers, who don't have the luxury of skipping over the ads. Rogers was interviewed by Kara Swisher at the D6 conference here Thursday.

Still, Rogers said that television needs to fundamentally transition its ad model to one in which advertising is both more appealing to consumers as well as more measurable. More like the Internet, in other words.

Swisher pressed Rogers on how the company has done a better job of popularizing a product category than it has creating a large, profitable business.

"No, the business has not gone as well as the (phenomenon)," Rogers said.

As for becoming synonimous with the DVR, Rogers said "That's a blessing and also a curse," noting that people who have other "contraptions" think they have a TiVo.

He noted that the company has a third business model, in addition to selling subscriptions and offering custom advertising. That's getting royalties from other DVR makers.

Rogers said that the company is close to getting injunctive and financial relief in its long-running case against Echostar and suggested that may help bring others to the table. Still, he said TiVo's first goal is to actually work with cable and satellite providers.

"We want commercial deals," he said. "We sue as a last result."

[Andy_Black]

Hi, Ina. I lived next door to you in Bishop Hall at MU. Happened to be browsing tech news and recognized you from your picture. Congrats on your many years as a tech journalist, and also for your personal evolution. These days, I am a senior programmer for a financial company in Cincinnati.
Cheers,
Andy

[tekwiz4u]

Lets be realistic here. I have a DVR and the sole reason to record shows is to skip ads. I have NO interest in watching a 15 or 30 second ad. Commercials take 10 minutes of a 30 minute show, which is huge airtime. I know paid advertising is big on TV time, but conisdering the way people have less time to do anything, they should look for a new busniness model. Adn the day my cable company FORCES me to watch commercials, im dusting off my VHS recorder. Why are they making a big stink about it now?

[Crunchy Doodle]

I have some news for Tom Rogers - I do not use TiVo as a verb and I do not think I have a TiVo. In our house we have five ReplayTV units. In addition, two HTPCs running BeyondTV with a total of six HD QAM and three SD analog tuners and a few terabytes of storage. We have a DVArchive Server too with its terabyte, or so. I also poopli a lot. I do not watch many commercials. The ReplayTV boxes do a good job with Automatic Commercial Advance and the BeyondTV SmartSkip work moderately well. We are not all mindless dolts sitting in front of the TV drooling as we watch the commercials.

[mikeburek]

TiVO is a great device. I don't have one. Do they notify the buyers how they are monitored? Although the info is probably not personally identifiable. Still, from what I've heard, it seems like this should be shown as a market research device and not a consumer device. Too bad for Nielson they didn't think of being able to know such a detail about viewing habits.

[SteamChip]

If a commercial comes on I mute it, refill the tankard or sit on the throne and reign justice over my kingdom. Where do they get the idea people acutally WATCh commercials?