Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of Sept. 12-18, 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).
Week two action guided the NFL to the top spot in our watch-time ranking for Sept. 12-18. Even with the Thursday night game streaming on Amazon Prime instead of broadcast or cable, the league’s games still accounted for 6.78% of minutes watched (down just slightly from 7.16% in week one).
Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:
- Another busy Saturday guided college football to the No. 2 spot in our ranking again, with 4.45% of watch-time (down from 5.06% the previous week).
- Season 55 of CBS’s 60 Minutes premieres at No. 20 by minutes watched, as the show offered interviews with both U.S. President Joe Biden and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
- The two-night season finale of America’s Got Talent fueled a week-over-week jump from No. 28 to No. 10 by watch-time.
- Among other week-over-week newcomers to our ranking: America’s Newsroom (from No. 27 to No. 14), Chicago P.D. (No. 34 to No. 19), America Reports (No. 36 to No. 22), Tucker Carlson Tonight (No. 32 to No. 24) and The First 48 (No. 39 to No. 25).
CBS takes the No. 1 spot in our list of most-watched networks, thanks to the NFL and 60 Minutes, among other programs. The network scored 8.35% of watch-time, up from 6.90% the previous week.
Additional insights around the most-watched networks from Sept. 12-18:
- Airing a Monday Night Football simulcast, ABC increased watch-time week-over-week from 5.85% to 6.39% while hopping to No. 3 in our ranking.
- TLC moves from No. 20 to No. 16 week-over-week, thanks in large part to variations of the 90 Day Fiancé franchise.
- Three networks are week-over-week additions to our top 25, with INSP climbing from No. 27 to 23, while TNT leaps from No. 28 to No. 24 and Bravo migrates from No. 26 to No. 25.
- Three networks are week-over-week additions to our top 25, with INSP climbing from No. 27 to 23, while TNT leaps from No. 28 to No. 24 and Bravo migrates from No. 26 to No. 25.
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.
The NFL was No. 1 in our ranking for the second straight week, as live games accounted for more than 15.7% of TV ad impressions. That’s down from the previous week, when it accounted for 16.69% (though that’s to be expected with Thursday Night Football moving from NBC – where it aired in Week One – to Amazon Prime Video).
More insights about the top programs by TV ad impressions:
- Despite airing directly against Monday Night Football on both ABC and ESPN, the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards still delivered 0.75% of TV ad impressions on the week (No. 20 overall).
- America’s Got Talent rises from No. 13 to No. 6 by TV ad impressions week-over-week thanks to its two-part finale.
- MSNBC’s Deadline: White House is new to our ranking week-over-week, climbing from No. 35 to No. 25 by share of TV ad impressions.
- Another MSNBC show, Morning Joe, also jumps in the week-over-week rankings, from No. 23 to No. 17.
CBS’s share of TV ad impressions increased from 12.32% to 15.84% week-over-week to take the No. 1 spot in our TV-ad-impressions-by-network ranking. Nearly 40% of CBS impressions from Sept. 12-18 were attributable to NFL action.
Additional insights around the top networks by impressions:
- ABC ad impressions increased from 11.79% to 13.12% week-over-week, as the network leaned on both the NFL and college football, which together accounted for almost 30% of impressions for the network.
- Football also buoyed cable sports networks, including ESPN (No. 5), ESPN2 (No. 12), Fox Sports 1 (No. 13), SEC Network (No. 21) and NFL Network (No. 24).
- Coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s death was part of a week-over-week TV ad impressions increase for some cable news networks, as CNN grew from 4.68% of impressions to 4.80%, while MSNBC jumped from 4.78% to 5.67%.
- Speaking of cable news, HLN arrives in our ranking at No. 25 by TV ad impressions, up from No. 30 the previous week.
