The FCC shouldn’t start casting doubt on broadcasting just yet. Last week’s Super Bowl drew the biggest viewership in the history of television, demonstrating broadcasting’s continuing power to command a huge audience, especially to big events like Super Bowl XLIX—and regular-season NFL games claimed most of the top spots in viewership through the fall and into the winter.
Oh, and the show this year’s Super Bowl beat to claim the title was…last year’s Super Bowl. And this is with hundreds of other channels to choose from—some with puppies on them.
Even with NBC’s streaming option, most viewers said they planned to watch the game on TV.
According to a Consumer Electronics Association survey, of the 79% of adults who said they planned to watch the game, 71% said they would watch live on TV, while only 5% said they would watch live online. Add the 8% who said they would keep up with the game afterward through broadcast highlights and the 5% who planned to record it for later viewing, and it’s clear broadcasting remains a force to be reckoned with.
