Nielsen’s Post

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I always look forward to Nielsen and Brian Fuhrer's monthly Gauge report. The statistic in the June summary that grabbed my attention was the +2.1% month-to-month increase in total TV usage. In the olden days it was a given that summer months equaled season-low HUT and PUT levels. Longer days and vacations meant people were not sitting in front of their TVs. Broadcast and cable companies programmed accordingly with schedules that featured many more repeats and less original scripted programming. As a result, fewer people watched the networks. With The Gauge we are finding that while daylight savings and summer breaks may alter viewing patterns they do not drive down the demand for television. This past June, broadcast (-1.8%) and cable’s (-1.0%) share of total TV usage fell month to month as one would expect. Netflix (+11.8%), Disney (+14.8%), Max (+11%) and other streamers experienced double-digit growth. The debuts of high-profile programming such as Bridgerton (Part 2), Your Honor (on Netflix) and House of the Dragon drove streaming growth and the increase in total TV usage. Production schedules and sales issues, prevented broadcast and cable nets from introducing true year-round schedules but also there was the belief that mass audiences were not engaged or available over the summer (excluding the Olympics or course). These days with the proliferation of direct-to-consumer platforms and quality summer programming, we see that it wasn’t necessarily consumers’ lack of interest or time that impacted summer viewing, but rather the previous lack of options and opportunities.  

CTV is currently the fastest-growing channel for paid media. TV ads are making a comeback, but instead of traditional cable, now they’re hosted on the plethora of streaming platforms out there. This shift allows for more precise targeting through data compared to traditional TV. Are you leveraging CTV? If not, why? #Ctv #performancemarketing #paidmedia #streaming #channelattribution #marketing #digitalmarketing #performancemarketing

Don't fall behind on adding CTV to your marketing mix. Your competitors have probably already started running or will soon. If not knowing where to start is what is holding you back, send me note and I can provide some insights and information!

Time spent streaming in the US in June accounted for 40.3% of total TV usage, the highest share yet on Nielsen’s The Gauge monthly viewership report since it launched three years ago. Streaming viewership climbed 6% since May and added 1.5 share points, powered by younger viewers where the two to 11-year-old bracket saw a 16% month-on-month rise due in no small part to the start of summer holidays.

If you aren't questioning your TV ad spend on linear, my question is why? Over an average 30-day period in 2023, 214 million U.S. adults -- or 80% -- consumed video content via streaming platforms. Streaming viewing by demographic is even stronger -- over 90% for viewing groups: For viewers ages 12-17, 18-24, 25-34, and 35-44. For viewers 45-54 it is 88%, with 55-64 viewers at 75% and 65 and up at 53). For 2024, 73% of adults choose streaming as their default source of TV/video consumption -- up from 42% in 2023. Research shows 84% of Gen Z adults prefer streaming as their first choice in viewing TV-video content. #creatormedianetwork Cable TV has declined as the first source where viewers are turning on their TV devices to 15% from 31% the year before, while broadcast has dropped to 6% from 11%.

Nielsen latest Gauge report shows TV usage rose 3.5% in August, fueled by the Olympics on NBC & Peacock, and the Democratic National Convention on MSNBC. Here are some other stats about streaming: -Streaming dropped back 1% and lost 0.4 share points to finish the month with 41% of television, still with a comfortable cushion over the other categories. When we look at last year, streaming is up by 11% and has gained 2.7 share points. - Six of the ten streaming platforms gave ground this month, but the big story was the 39% gain for Peacock, as it offered a broad Olympics coverage to complement the linear offerings. -Disney+ was up by 8% and gained 0.2 share points to set a platform high of 2.3% with the help of one of the most consistent titles on streaming, Bluey! Another contributing factor was the ability of package subscribers to also view Hulu content via Disney+. -Despite a 6% decline this month (and the loss of half a share point) Netflix still had the top overall program title thanks to re-releasing 90 episodes of Prison Break, which drove 5.4 billion viewing minutes. - Youtube was up by 2% to add 0.2 share points for another category record of 10.6% and the top slot among streaming platforms.  

From today's Hustle... Are dated sitcoms the only thing keeping cable TV alive? According to data from Nielsen, cable television networks are struggling to keep up with streaming platforms. Between 2014 and 2023... MTV's average prime-time audience dropped from 807k to 256k USA Network's audience shrank 69% AMC's viewership plunged 73% The Disney Channel saw a 93% drop in viewership. The number of original scripted shows on cable has fallen 39% since 2015, making streaming platforms the norm for many viewers. In fact, a recent survey found that 73% of respondents tune into a streaming service before cable when watching TV, up from 42% just a year prior. However, some networks are adapting to the streaming wave and finding success. FX's "The Bear" just won an Emmy and streams on Hulu, Bravo's shows are a top draw for Peacock's 31m+ subscribers, and the Hallmark Channel's average prime-time audience actually grew 12% from 10 years ago. It seems we are at a crossroads in media where paying for cable and multiple streaming services is becoming the norm. What are your thoughts on the future of TV?

Are you curious about the state of the television market in Poland? According to a recent article from Broadband TV News, it seems that linear viewing still dominates the TV market in this country. Here are some key takeaways from the article: - Linear TV accounts for 80% of all viewing in the Polish TV market - Despite the growth of streaming services, traditional TV is still the preferred choice for many viewers - The trend is especially pronounced among older demographics, who continue to rely on linear TV for their entertainment needs What are your thoughts on this? #TVMarket #LinearViewing #IndustryInsights 🇵🇱

Another record breaking milestone for Streaming TV! Per Nielsen’s latest Gauge report, time spent in Streaming TV soared to 40.3% in June, almost doubling time spent in Broadcast TV! This surpasses cable's previous record set in June 2021 (40.1%). The rapidly changing viewership trends is yet another strong indicator on how marketers should prioritize video ad dollars. #streamingtv #CTV #videoadvertising #advertising #upfront #marketing #mediaagency #amazonads