Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of August 1-7, 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).
After a one-week hiatus, Major League Baseball scores the most TV watch-time again. From August 1-7, MLB games collected 1.10% of minutes watched, which is up from 0.92% the previous week.
Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:
- Chicago P.D. -- one of four crime procedurals in our ranking’s top 10 spots -- jumps from No. 28 to No. 8 by watch-time week-over-week.
- The National Football League returned with just one preseason game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, which is enough to land at No. 10 in our ranking.
- After not being listed among the top 50 programs by watch-time the previous week, syndicated airings of The Golden Girls soar to No. 19.
- Speaking of syndication, Seinfeld reruns make modest gains week-over-week from 0.37% to 0.40% of minutes watched, fueling a move from No. 29 to No. 24 in our ranking.
CBS remains atop our list of most-watched networks for the third week in a row, with 6.15% of watch-time (down slightly from 6.24% the previous week). CBS minutes watched were led by CBS Mornings (7.76%), followed closely by The Price Is Right (7.72%).
Additional insights around the most-watched networks from August 1-7:
- HGTV hops from No. 9 to No. 7 week-over-week in our ranking, led by airings of My Lottery Dream Home and Love It or List It.
- USA Network grows week-over-week watch-time from 1.61% to 1.70%, with over a third of those minutes attributable to syndicated airings of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
- TNT is the lone week-over-week newcomer in our ranking, as NCIS: New Orleans reruns help fuel a move from No. 28 to No. 25.
- Bravo is buoyed by the Below Deck series of programs (with over 35% of the network’s watch-time), as it floats from No. 22 to No. 20 week-over-week.
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.
Good Morning America holds onto its No. 1 spot by TV ad impressions, delivering 2.35% from August 1-7 (down slightly from 2.37% the previous week).
More data about the top programs by TV ad impressions:
- MLB games (2.15% of impressions) and SportsCenter (1.94%) are the only sports-related programming among the top 10.
- The NFL’s annual Hall of Fame Game accounts for 1.12% of TV ad impressions – No. 16 on the week.
- CMA Fest rides country music interest to No. 15 this week after airing on ABC.
- Big Brother TV ad impressions jump from No. 15 to No. 11 week-over-week as the show’s contestant pool continues to narrow.
Fox News sits at No. 1 in our TV-ad-impressions-by-network ranking for the sixth consecutive week, delivering 13.46% of impressions (down slightly from 13.55% the previous week).
Additional insights around the top networks by impressions:
- ABC grows its share of TV ad impressions from 11.82% to 12.69% week-over-week, thanks in part to CMA Fest, along with its usual slate of news-related programming.
- MLB Network leaps into the top 10 (up from No. 12 week-over-week), as advertisers benefited from increased fan interest due to the trade deadline.
- USA Network delivers over 57% of its TV ad impressions over the weekend due in large part to interest in NASCAR events and the AIG Women’s Open (golf).
- Lifetime is a week-over-week newcomer in our ranking, moving from No. 26 to No. 20, due in part to Married at First Sight (33.01% of Lifetime’s TV ad impressions on the week).
