" ...even when people watch recorded shows later, many are not fast-forwarding through the ads. On average, Nielsen found, DVR owners watch 40 percent of commercials that they could skip over — perhaps because they like ads, don't mind them or simply can't be bothered."

- New York Times

It does make sense to me that people will watch an ad right at the beginning or end of a series of commercials, because you can be captured at the moment you're starting or stopping your fast-forwarding. But I'm surprised many people would actively choose ad-viewing.