Top 10 TV Downloads

Here's an interesting article from Broadcast, about the latest research into the most popular TV shows being file-shared online. The top 10 from this year, in ascending order is:

10. Smallville; 19,598,999
9. Gossip Girl; 19,706,870
8. Grey’s Anatomy; 19,916,775
7. Desperate Housewives; 21,378,412
6. Fringe; 21,434,755
5. House; 26,277,954
4. Prison Break; 29,283,591
3. 24; 34,119,093
2. Lost; 51,151,396
1. Heroes; 54,562,012

It was interesting to note that 47% of downloads originate from the US, and only 4% from the UK. Personally, I'm confused that Americans bother to download much TV at all, given the fact most shows with a "geek-appeal" originates from their own country...

Why would a diehard Smallville fan bother to download episodes, when TV still gets the "world premiere" in their country? It's not like in the UK where the reasoning/excuse for downloading is the waiting for a UK broadcaster to show popular US shows, is it? Are Americans downloading British shows just as voraciously to make up these numbers, or do they just prefer to download to avoid the ads? Maybe they just prefer downloading to buying a DVD box-set as a keepsake?

I also find it intriguing that shows like Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl appear on this list. That appears to show there's quite a wide demographic downloading, not just the stereotypical geeks clamouring for sci-fi/fantasy.

And would Prison Break still be on-air if those downloads were Nielsen ratings?