Nielsen Media Research announced that it will provide national TV audience estimates that include viewing from Digital Video Recorders (DVRs).

All programs will now receive three separate ratings: Live Ratings, Live+Same Day (SD) Ratings and Live+7 Day Ratings.

"The good news is that DVR households have not been heretofore included in the Nielsen sample and now they will be. This should improve the overall ratings reliability," says Dave Smith, president, Mediasmith, and iMedia contributor.

Nielsen says that the first national overnight ratings reflecting timeshifted viewing will be available on December 28, 2005.

"Nielsen is keeping pace with the evolving ways that people watch television, thereby ensuring that our ratings continue to be accurate and reliable. The introduction of audience estimates for DVR is a major milestone in ratings history and will provide the most detailed information ever on how and when people watch television," says Sara Erichson, general manager of national services, Nielsen Media Research.