Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of Aug. 22-28, highlighting the most-watched shows and networks using glass-level data from Vizio’s Inscape, and network and show TV ad impressions insights via iSpot.tv.
Most-Watched Shows and Networks
Via Inscape, Vizio’s TV data product with glass-level insights from a panel of more than 19 million active and opted-in smart TVs. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching).
Another week of preseason games kept the National Football League at the top of our watch-time ranking. From August 22-28, the NFL sprinted to 2.57% of minutes watched, not too different from its 2.56% mark the previous week.
Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:
- The Little League Baseball World Series increased its watch-time to 1.36% (No. 2 overall) in its second week of action across ESPN, ABC and ESPN2.
- The PGA Tour Championship concluded with Rory McIlroy coming behind for the win, and the event scored 1.13% of watch-time in the process.
- Other week-over-week newcomers in our top 25 include "week zero" college football action (from N/A to No. 5), Chicago P.D. (from No. 28 to No. 18) and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (from No. 31 to No. 20).
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit continues its dominance as the most-watched scripted show, increasing minutes watched from 0.94% to 1.14% week-over-week.
NBC stays atop our list of most-watched networks for a third straight week, as the conclusion of the PGA Tour Championship helped power the network to No. 1 again. At 6.15%, NBC's share of watch-time was just barely above last week's (6.12%).
Additional insights around the most-watched networks from August 22-28:
- CBS gained ground by minutes watched, going from 5.80% to 6.14%, courtesy of NFL preseason action (among other programming).
- Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon pushed HBO to the spot just outside our ranking, at No. 26.
- Both INSP and TNT join this week’s ranking (at No. 23 and No. 24, respectively) after being absent the previous week.
- Friends helped power TBS to a one-spot jump from No. 18 to No. 17 in our ranking week-over-week, as the show accounted for nearly 26% of watch-time on the network.
Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions
Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only.
As the field narrows for the Little League World Series, the event jumps from No. 6 to No. 1 by TV ad impressions week-over-week. Nearly 48% of those appeared on ABC, while the rest were split between ESPN (primarily) and ESPN2.
More insights about the top programs by TV ad impressions:
- Sports accounts for six of the top 10 spots in our ranking this week. Beyond the Little League World Series, the NFL (No. 2), SportsCenter (No. 5), college football (No. 6), MLB (No. 7) and PGA Tour Championship (No. 9) also appear.
- Two of the biggest risers in recent months have been Morning Joe (MSNBC) and Jesse Watters Primetime (Fox News), which have both gradually climbed the ad-impressions rankings after beginning the summer outside the top 25.
- America’s Got Talent qualifier rounds continue to deliver TV ad impressions, as the competition show grows modestly from 1.29% to 1.31% of impressions week-over-week.
- Good Morning America and Today each drop by one spot in our ranking week-over-week, despite both actually making slight week-over-week gains by share of TV ad impressions.
Fox News stays in the top spot in our TV-ad-impressions-by-network ranking for the ninth consecutive week. The network delivered 13.90% of impressions, down from 14.72% the previous week.
Additional insights around the top networks by impressions:
- ABC hops up one spot from No. 3 to No. 2 week-over-week, thanks in part to Little League World Series action (nearly 11% of TV ad impressions on the network during the timeframe).
- Both Telemundo and Univision delivered a higher share of TV ad impressions week-over-week, as Telemundo in particular is paced by Top Chef VIP (almost 26% of impressions).
- HGTV grew its share of TV ad impressions from 1.16% to 1.47% week-over-week, with new episodes of Help! I Wrecked My House leading the way (about one in seven impressions for the network).
- PGA Tour Championship coverage propelled Golf Channel from No. 20 to No. 15 week-over-week by share of TV ad impressions.
