Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of July 18-24, 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).
Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game fueled the sport to the No. 1 spot by watch-time during the week of July 18-24. Between late-week regular season games and Tuesday night’s all-star event, MLB collected 1.14% of minutes watched -- with half of that total attributable to the All-Star Game.
Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:
- Not included in those MLB totals is the Home Run Derby, which adds another 0.36% of watch-time.
- A lack of much live sports on the week gave rise to procedurals, which occupy five of the top 10 spots, led by NCIS at No. 2.
- Speaking of crime-related shows, Forensic Files soars week-over-week from No. 35 to No. 11 by minutes watched.
- Syndicated sitcoms also continue to be staples for audiences, with four such programs in our ranking this week, including week-over-week top 25 newcomer The Big Bang Theory (up from no. 36 to No. 23).
CBS leaps from No. 3 to No. 1 in our list of most-watched networks, thanks in part to the return of PGA action after a one-week hiatus. The network increased watch-time from 5.75% to 6.03% week-over-week, which was enough to retake the top spot.
Additional insights around the most-watched networks from the week:
- While SportsCenter made up over 24% of minutes watched on ESPN, it’s the MLB Home Run Derby’s one-off appearance that fueled much of the network’s week-over-week climb from No. 14 to No. 10 in our ranking.
- Hallmark Channel moves from No. 8 to No. 7 in our ranking week-over-week, as audiences tuned into syndicated airings of programs like The Golden Girls, Reba and Frasier (among others).
- TNT is the lone week-over-week newcomer in our ranking, via NCIS: New Orleans and a steady slate of superhero movies coinciding with San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend.
- Day One (Sunday) of Shark Week helped drive Discovery Channel up from No. 22 to No. 18 week-over-week, as audiences bit into the network’s shark-focused specials.
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.
Even with fewer games on national TV for the All-Star Break, MLB action still increased impressions by nearly 41% week-over-week. Including the All-Star Game, baseball served up 2.72% of TV ad impressions from July 18-24 to lead all programs.
More data about the top programs by TV ad impressions:
- News accounts for six of the top 10 programs by share of impressions delivered during the week, led by Good Morning America at 2.40%.
- La casa de los famosos shifts from No. 14 to No. 12 by share of impressions, as the Spanish-language version of Celebrity Big Brother nears the conclusion of season two.
- Impressions climbed almost 20% week-over-week for daytime soap The Young and the Restless, which remains a staple among the top 10 programs in our ranking.
- Jesse Watters Primetime (which technically airs an hour before primetime at 7 p.m. ET) has quietly become the top Fox News evening program for impressions in recent weeks, sitting at No. 20 for July 18-24.
Fox News occupies the No.1 spot in our ad-impressions-by-network ranking for the fourth consecutive week, delivering 12.71% of impressions (up from 12.55% the previous week).
Additional insights around the top networks by impressions:
- Thanks in part to its broadcast of the PGA Tour’s 3M Open, CBS hops from No. 4 to No. 2 in our ranking week-over-week, with its share of impressions rising from 10.54% to 11.87%.
- Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game broadcast helped Fox’s share of impressions more than double week-over-week, from 1.49% to 3.51%.
- Advertisers benefitted from early Shark Week specials on Discovery Channel, as the network grew share of impressions week-over-week from 0.99% to 1.47%.
- HGTV climbs from No. 16 to No. 14 in our ranking with new episodes of shows like Good Bones (13.3% of the network’s impressions), Bargain Block (12.8%) and No Demo Reno (11.3%), among others.
