Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of Oct. 3-9, 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).
The NFL is atop our watch-time ranking for the fifth straight week. NFL games accounted for 6.31% of minutes watched from Oct. 3-9, down slightly from 6.97% the previous week.
Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:
- MLB's new wildcard round helped boost baseball's minutes watched week-over-week from 0.65% to 1.82%.
- Blue Bloods' season 13 premiere helped drive the show from No. 24 to No. 12 by watch-time week-over-week.
- Syndicated sitcoms like Two and a Half Men (from No. 26 to No. 17) and The Golden Girls (No. 23 to No. 20) make week-over-week gains in our ranking.
- Other week-over-week newcomers to our top 25 include Ridiculousness (No. 21), Family Feud (No. 22), Tucker Carlson Tonight (No. 23), Love It or List It (No. 24) and The Voice (No. 31).
CBS is No. 1 on our list of most-watched networks for the second consecutive week, thanks in large part to football. College football and the NFL combined for over 19% of watch-time on CBS, with the Alabama vs. Texas A&M thriller catching a larger share of minutes watched than the network’s NFL games.
Additional insights around the most-watched networks from Oct. 3-9:
- ION's slate of syndicated procedurals helped fuel a week-over-week jump from No. 11 to No. 7.
- ESPN2 vaults up to No. 14 (from No. 31 the previous week), as college football and MLB Playoff games pushed the network's watch-time up week-over-week.
- Additional week-over-week newcomers in our top 25 include History (from No. 27 to No. 24) and Bravo (from No. 28 to No. 25).
- Hallmark hops from No. 13 to No. 10 by minutes watched, as the network leaned into a combination of syndicated sitcoms and fall-focused seasonal movies.
Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions
Via iSpot.tv, the real-time TV measurement company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only.
The NFL delivered the highest share of TV ad impressions once again, with 12.51% from Oct. 3-9. That's down from 14.45% the previous week as the MLB Playoffs helped baseball grab a larger share of the weekend's live sports audience (and impressions).
More insights about the top programs by TV ad impressions:
- Speaking of MLB action, the weekend's wildcard round was a big part of why baseball nearly doubled its share of ad impressions week-over-week, from 0.89% to 1.84%.
- Bachelor in Paradise's two-night format on ABC helped fuel a week-over-week jump in TV ad impressions – from 0.44% to 0.94%.
- Univision's Los Ricos También Lloran reboot increased its ad impressions week-over-week – from 0.38% to 0.72%.
- The View is one of several news- and talk-focused programs to grow its week-over-week impressions – by 30%.
CBS is No. 1 in our TV-ad-impressions-by-network ranking for a third straight week. The network delivered 16.1% of TV ad impressions from Oct. 3-9, which is down from 18.1% the previous week.
Additional insights around the top networks by impressions:
- Hallmark and Food Network are new week-over-week arrivals in our ranking, as both have been leaning into Halloween and fall-centric programs.
- Bravo TV ad impressions increased by 39% week-over-week, thanks to its typical slate of reality programming (including the season premiere of Real Housewives of Potomac).
- The top three Spanish-language networks (Telemundo, Univision, UniMás) all rise in our week-over-week, led by Univision, which moves from No. 10 to No. 8.
- Despite maintaining its No. 5 ranking week-over-week, Fox grew its share of TV ad impressions from 5.5% to 8.1% (with more than half of impressions coming from Sunday afternoon's NFL doubleheader).
