New York witnessed a notable upward trend in broadcast viewership during October, as per the data from "The Gauge" by Nielsen. This growth was fueled by increases in both sports and drama viewing, presenting an interesting landscape in the television viewing arena.

Uncover the October TV Viewership Dynamics with Nielsen

Sports Viewership in October

In October, sports viewing witnessed a significant 10% bump. NFL games, once again, dominated the top broadcast telecasts, with the Week 7 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers drawing an impressive 27 million viewers on FOX. Outside of football, college football and MLB playoff games also contributed to a 52% boost in sports viewing. On a yearly basis, cable sports was up 14%, highlighting the continued popularity of sports on television.This surge in sports viewership can be attributed to the intense competition and the excitement surrounding various sporting events. Fans were glued to their screens, eager to catch every moment of the action. The success of these sports programs not only attracts a large audience but also has a significant impact on advertising revenues and the overall television ecosystem.

Drama Viewership in October

Drama programs saw an astonishing 29% increase in viewing during October. This growth indicates the enduring appeal of drama series among viewers. These shows have the ability to captivate audiences with their engaging plots, complex characters, and emotional depth.For example, certain drama series manage to create a loyal fan base that looks forward to each new episode. The increase in drama viewership suggests that viewers are still drawn to the immersive world of drama and are willing to invest their time in watching these programs. It also showcases the diversity and quality of drama content available on television.

Cable Viewership in October

Cable viewing accounted for 26.3% of total TV usage in October, with a 0.2-point positive share change since April. News viewing saw a 5% gain, particularly driven by the Vice Presidential Debate on October 1 and the month-long coverage leading up to Election Day. Sports viewing also experienced a 52% boost, with NFL Monday Night Football, college football, and MLB playoff games being the main contributors.The top cable telecasts in October were dominated by sports and news programs. The NFL Monday Night Football game between Kansas City and New Orleans on ESPN attracted 14 million viewers, while FOX News Channel's presentation of the VP Debate drew 7.9 million viewers. This shows the strong hold of these types of programs on cable television and their ability to attract a significant audience.

Streaming Viewership in October

Streaming viewership in October was relatively stable compared to last month, with eight of the 11 reported streaming services showing minimal changes within 0.1 share point. The Roku Channel saw a 12% increase and added 0.2 share points to reach 1.8% of television, a high point for the FAST service.Netflix, on the other hand, was down 4% with 7.5% of TV but still managed to top the list of streaming originals with Love Is Blind, which had 4.4 billion viewing minutes. This highlights the competitive nature of the streaming market and the importance of having popular original content.It's important to note that a portion of Hulu's viewing (estimated at approximately 25%) was mistakenly attributed to Disney+ during this period. However, this issue was resolved at the end of October and will not affect the October Media Distributor Gauge.The measurement month of October 2024 encompassed four weeks from 09/30/2024 through 10/27/2024, with Nielsen measurement weeks running from Monday to Sunday. This provides a comprehensive view of the television viewing patterns during this specific month.