Advanced Television

Data: Streaming nears 40% of total TV usage

October 20, 2022

Media measurement company Nielsen’s latest monthly total TV and streaming snapshot report, The Gauge, reveals that streaming remained the most-watched TV format in September, capturing 36.9 per cent of overall television usage and marking another record-high share for the category. Broadcast also saw an increase in September with its share of TV climbing to 24.2 per cent, while cable’s share dropped to 33.8 per cent. Television usage as a whole was up 2.4 per cent in September compared to August.

The broadcast category showed the largest month-over-month increase with a 12.4 per cent bump in usage in September, which was driven by an impressive 222 per cent uptick in sports viewing. This led to an additional 2.1 share points for broadcast this month compared to August, its largest share of television since May 2022 when it captured 24.4 per cent. On a yearly basis, broadcast’s viewing volume was down 7.1 per cent compared to one year ago, and the category lost 2.1 share points.

Despite a 40 per cent increase in sports viewing, cable usage remained basically flat in September compared to August. However, due to the increases in broadcast and streaming, cable dropped by 0.7 share points to finish September at 33.8 per cent, recording its lowest share to date as reported by The Gauge. Cable’s viewing volume declined -9.3 per cent versus September 2021, and the category lost 3.8 share points on a yearly basis.

The streaming category added 2.0 share points in September versus August. On a yearly basis, streaming usage increased 34.6 per cent compared to September 2021, and the category gained 9.2 share points.

Making its debut in The Gauge is free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service Pluto TV. Pluto TV is the first FAST service to cross the 1 per cent share threshold and break out of the ‘other streaming’ category.

Several other platforms to make an impact in the streaming category this month:

  • YouTube (including YouTube TV) achieved a platform-best 8 per cent share in September, tying Netflix’s July record, and topping all streaming platforms in The Gauge for the first time.
  • Hulu (including Hulu Live) also saw a record-high share with 3.8 per cent of streaming.
  • Prime Video maintained a 2.9 per cent share, but the success of both The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power and specific Thursday Night Football games drove a +34.7 per cent YoY viewing increase for the platform.
  • HBO Max saw the largest increase in usage (+9.9 per cent) among the reportable platforms, due largely to viewing of House Of The Dragon (pictured) and Game Of Thrones.

Linear streaming on MVPDs (multichannel video programming distributors) and vMVPDs (virtual multichannel video programming distributors) represented 5.4 per cent of total television usage and 14.5 per cent of streaming usage in September. Broadcast and cable content viewed through linear streaming apps also credits its respective category.

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Content, Pay TV, Research, VOD

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