Bravo Tops Channels Viewers Liked During Pandemic: Beta

From left: The season 11 cast of Bravo's 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Erika Girardi, Garcelle Beauvais, Crystal Kung Minkoff, Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Sutton Stracke, and Dorit Kemsley
Bravo, home of the 'Read Housewives' franchise was a viewer favorite during the pandemic (Image credit: John Tsiavis/Bravo)

Bravo, Food Network, National Geographic and Travel Channel were among viewers’ favorites during the pandemic, according to a study by Beta Research.

Viewers between the ages of 25 and 56 were asked what network they especially liked to watch during the pandemic, and 57% said NBCUniversal’s Bravo, with 56% naming Food Network, National Geographic and Travel Channel. 

Also named by more than 52% of those asked were Discovery Channel, CNN, Oxygen, Hallmark Channel, CNBC, ESPN, MSNBC and MTV. 

Also Read: Fewer Ad Execs Expect Increased Spending on Cable Networks: Beta

The broadcast networks averaged 44%.

The list was different when Beta asked viewers 18 plus about their favorite channels. 

Investigation Discovery was the network most named, followed by Hallmark Channel, National Geographic, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. They were all cited by more than 48% of respondents.

The big broadcast networks were named on average by just 37% of cable subscribers.

Asked which network was most valuable, 60% of respondents replied Weather Channel. 

Weather Channel was followed by National Geographic, CNN, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, ID, CNBC, MSNBC and History.

The average broadcast network was named by 40% of respondents. 

Beta’s 2021 Brand Identity Study was conducted online in January, with a national sample of 3,510 cable subscribers. The study measured 56 basic or digital basic cable networks and the Big 4 broadcasters.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.