CBS Signs On to TiVo's DVR Ratings

TiVo tucked another feather its ad-measurement cap, announcing a deal Thursday with CBS to sell the broadcaster commercial-ratings data collected from a sample of 20,000 digital video recorders.

CBS will subscribe to the TiVo StopWatch service, which provides a “second-by-second measurement” of how DVR owners watch live and recorded programs and commercials. The DVR maker inked a similar pact with NBC Universal in November, although in addition to the research NBCU also has the option to sell interactive TV ads on TiVos. 

"As more and more television viewers add the DVR to their home entertainment systems and make the transition from linear to non-linear viewers, we at the networks must adapt to serve both these newly empowered viewers and the advertisers seeking to communicate with them," CBS chief research officer David Poltrack said, in a statement.

Other customers of the TiVo StopWatch service, which has been commercially available since February 2007, include The Interpublic Group, Starcom, Carat USA, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Media IQ and Euro RSCG New York.