The reporting format is in addition to the current Barb Gold Standard figures – which measures sevne days after broadcast – and will look at how TV viewing builds in the four weeks after transmission.

Currently, seven-day consolidated viewing still represents over 98% of viewing but analysis of 8028 days timeshifted viewing shows an additional 1.5% in total viewing with prevalence among ABC1 households and 25-44 year-old adults with the highest increments likely to be for drama, film and children’s programming.

For example, the last episode of Doctor Who on BBC1 saw viewing figures rise 5.8% to 7.89m thanks to time shifting while there was a growth of 6.2% in the audience to CSI on Channel 5 [see below].

The audience measurer said the release of these official figures allowed commissioners, schedulers and media planners to examine how different demographics behave and how timeshifting affects different channels and programme genres.

Barb chief executive Justin Sampson said: “Change is all around us. Watching what we want, when we want has never been easier. Barb continues to innovate so that we can reflect all elements of modern day behaviour.”