NBC Series Saved by Delayed Viewership

How did NBC’s Smash wind up tying for the top position at 10 p.m. among viewers most coveted by network executives — those 18 through 49 years old? The answer lies with the digital video recorder, or DVR.

Negative reports about the performance of “Smash” generally took into account only how it had fared on the first nights that it was shown on NBC. As is now the case in prime time, however, a show’s true popularity can no longer be assessed by instant analysis. The first-place 18-49 ranking for “Smash” occurred in what is known as the “live+7” ratings, which include playback of recorded television shows over one week. On average, “Smash” added 2.5 million viewers over seven days of playback and averaged a 3.3 rating in the 18-49 category. No 10 p.m. network show did better in that category. Two CBS dramas, “Hawaii Five-O” and “C.S.I.,” each scored a 3.3 also. “Playback is a big factor in determining how many people like a show, there’s no question about it,” said Leslie Moonves, the CBS president, who has more programming experience than any other current television executive.