• State of the Screens
  • Posts
  • How Much Each Broadcast Net’s TV Ratings Are Down From Last Year — So Far

How Much Each Broadcast Net’s TV Ratings Are Down From Last Year — So Far

Change in average ratings for adults 18–49 (2017 vs. 2017):
1) NBC: 2.4, -8%
2) CBS: 1.8, -14%
3) Fox: 1.9, -17%
4) ABC: 1.6, -16%
5) The CW: 0.6, -14%

Change in average ratings for all viewers (2017 vs. 2017):
1) CBS: 9.9m, -6%
2) NBC: 9.0m, -3%
3) ABC: 6.6m, -9%
4) Fox: 6.2m, -14%
5) The CW: 1.8m million, -4%

Less than 9% of TV households watch one of the 4 major networks on average.

% of viewers reached through one primetime spot on each of the big 3 networks:
1) 35 years ago: ≈ 100%
2) Today: 5%

An advertiser would have to buy ads on 135 different TV networks today to equal the reach from major networks 35 years ago!

Buy deep. The audience on TV is massive and it still accounts for 85% of the video spend. Reaching the highest possible % of your audience is going to require a drastically more complex media plan than a few years ago.

Reply

or to participate.