Citing an Innerscope Research report for NBC released earlier this month, Armbruster writes that DVRs in the home engage viewers at a higher level than in homes without DVRs. Now, that alone is not necessarily a totally crazy notion, but the rationale behind it is.

TiVo DVR Device

The research measured how viewers (wearing a special electronics-laden vest to measure heart rate, breathing, body movement, etc.) watched the NBC show “Heroes” and its commercials in fast-forward mode. “Did DVR users ‘check out’ during recorded commercial breaks?”

According to the study, consumers were as engaged when watching commercials in fast-forward mode and during the first moments of the commercial in normal mode. In fact, viewers who fast-forwarded actually got higher scores for engagement than those who did not fast-forward.

Maybe it’s just me, but if the measure of engagement is a faster heart rate, faster breathing, more body movement, etc., then of course fast-forwarding commercials on a DVR would produce higher scores. To skip a commercial, the viewer has to sit up, find the remote, locate the fast-forward button, press it, and hold it down as the commercials fly by to make sure the button is released just in time to watch no commercials without losing any of the actual program content.

Armbruster goes on to propose that there is value in the audience that is fast-forwarding the commercial, countering the claim by some media buyers that those consumers have no value because they’re not really paying attention to the spot.

I’m with the media buyers. These folks weren’t engaged with the commercial. They were engaged with the action of skipping it.