Shifts in TV Viewing - NYTimes.com If you read "DVRs and Streaming Prompt a Shift in the Top-Rated TV Shows" (Business Day, March 5), you might think that the golden age of network television had returned as a result of the digital video recorder and that scripted sitcoms like "Modern Family" again reigned supreme over reality shows like "American Idol." That's not at all the case, at least from an advertiser's perspective. Because TiVo can measure viewership for any commercial, not just programs, we know that the majority of the commercials on "Modern Family" are not viewed when watched in recorded mode. Advertisers are being overcharged by paying commercial rates based on the program ratings and not commercial ratings. This is anything but the boon for advertiser-supported network television that the article suggests. This stands an old advertising adage on its head - it's now "advertisers beware," not "buyers beware." The guys in "Mad Men" had no such problems; the network that carries the show today does. TOM ROGERS Chief Executive, TiVo Alviso, Calif., March 5, 2012