Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

The Gauge: Traditional TV Gets a Boost from Football and News in January 2025

18/02/2025

NYE, Golden Globes and scripted dramas also elevate broadcast viewing.

Netflix achieves a new platform record, powered by 9B viewing minutes of Squid Game'

January 11 clocks 47 billion daily streaming minutes, supercharged by Prime Video's exclusive NFL Wild Card game

NEW YORK - February 18, 2025 - Nielsen's January 2025 report of The Gauge revealed that TV viewing in January was up 5% compared with an already robust December, driven largely by current events and seasonal factors. Football again played a significant role in January's monthly viewing uptick, with games across the NFL and NCAA drawing big audiences and contributing to share increases for both broadcast ( 0.1pt., 22.5%) and cable ( 0.6pt., 24.4%).

The NFL AFC Championship game on CBS drew this month's largest audience with 57.4 million viewers on Sunday, January 26, followed by the NFC Championship game, which brought in 44.2 million viewers on FOX on the same day. Coverage of the College Football Playoffs on ESPN, in addition to other various bowl games, helped drive a 42% bump in cable sports viewing in January. What's more, the seven CFP games included in the January report (four Quarterfinals, two Semifinals and the National Championship) accounted for the top seven cable telecasts this month, led by the 22.1 million viewers that watched the National Championship Game on January 20.

January also highlighted how consumers' viewing habits have evolved to become more flexible when seeking out preferred content across various distribution platforms. Prime Video exclusively streamed the NFL Wild Card playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens on January 11, which in turn helped drive the second-highest day of streaming on record. Behind the current all-time high of 51.2 billion streaming minutes set on Christmas Day 2024, January 11, 2025 produced over 47 billion streaming minutes in total.

Outside of sports events, traditional television drew audiences by other means as well. Overall broadcast viewing was up 5.1% in January, benefiting from increases to drama series ( 15%) and news ( 18%). The top non-sports broadcast telecasts in January were an eclectic mix led by ABC's New Year's Rockin' Eve with 17.9 million viewers, followed by the post-AFC Championship premier of Watson on CBS with 10.8 million, and the Golden Globe Awards on CBS with 9.7 million. Meanwhile, cable viewing exhibited a 7% monthly increase, and, in addition to the 42% lift in sports viewership, cable also benefited from a 26% increase in news viewing. FOX News Channel dominated non-sports telecasts this month, led by its Inauguration Day coverage.

From a streaming perspective, streaming viewership in January was up 3% versus December and the category accounted for the largest share of television with 42.6%. On a year-over-year basis, streaming usage grew 21% compared with January 2024, and the category has gained 6.6% share of TV viewing.

Notable among streaming platforms:

Netflix followed a robust December with an even stronger January, as viewership rose 7% to lead the streamer to a new platform record of 8.6% of TV. Netflix's big month was due in large part to Squid Game, which generated 9 billion viewing minutes as January's top streaming title.

The Roku Channel also extended its growth streak and notched a fourth consecutive month of platform-best achievement, increasing viewership by 9% in January to reach 2.1% of TV.

As indicated in the December 2024 Gauge report, this marks the first month that Disney's streaming entities (Disney , Hulu and ESPN ) are consolidated into a single share. Disney Streaming began the year with a 4.7% share of TV. Bluey, which received Nielsen's first ARTEY Award for top streaming title in 2024, was January's second most-streamed program with 4.7 billion viewing minutes accumulated on Disney .

The Paramount original series Landman rounded out the top three streaming titles in January with 4.4 billion viewing minutes, and helped the streamer tie its platform best share with 1.4% of TV.

Note: Disney , Hulu and ESPN viewing have been aggregated into a single total represented as Disney Streaming beginning with the January 2025 Gauge report. This change is due to Disney making Hulu and ESPN content available within the Disney app for certain subscribers, which could affect crediting between Disney's streaming properties as it relates to The Gauge.

-- The January 2025 interval dates included 12/30/2024 through 01/26/2025. Nielsen reporting follows the broadcast calendar with measurement weeks that run Monday through Sunday.

About The Gauge The Gauge is Nielsen's monthly snapshot of total broadcast, cable and streaming consumption that occurs through a television screen, providing the industry with a holistic look at what audiences are watching. The Gauge was expanded in April 2024 to include The Media Distributor Gauge, which reflects total viewing by media distributor across these categories. Read more about The Gauge methodology and FAQs.

About NielsenNielsen is a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their global audiences-now and into the future. Learn more at www.nielsen.com and connect with us on social media (X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram).

Press ContactLauren Pabst

lauren.pabst@nielsen.com
LINK: https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/the-gauge-traditional-tv-gets...
See more stories from arbitron

More from Nielsen

25/06/2025

Warner Bros. Discovery and FOX Clinch Largest Gains in May as Multiplatform Capabilities Continue to Benefit Distributors

YouTube Extends Lead and Tops All Media Distributors for Fourth Consecutive Mont...

25/06/2025

Nielsen And Danish Tv Broadcasters Announce Extension Of Viewer Measurement Contract To The End Of 2029

Copenhagen, Denmark - June 25, 2025 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measu...

24/06/2025

Nielsen Launches CTV Ad Spend Data into its Ad Intel Product

Initial enhancement comes in Germany, before roll out in further EMEA markets LONDON, UK June 23, 2025 Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, da...

19/06/2025

The Gauge: Poland | May 2025

May 2025 was a month packed with events that captivated viewers, from the presidential campaign in Poland to the international Eurovision Song Contest. It's...

19/06/2025

The Gauge: Mexico May 2025

During May, streaming's share of TV viewing in Mexico showed a slight decrease of 0.8 percentage points compared to the previous month, accounting for 23.5%...

17/06/2025

Streaming Reaches Historic TV Milestone, Eclipses Combined Broadcast and Cable Viewing For First Time

Streaming Notches a Record 44.8% of Total TV Usage in May Streaming Usage Up 71...

12/06/2025

The future of Sport: Nielsen's 2025 report reveals growth drivers

Over a third of global football fans find brand sponsorship appealing and 41% of all sports sponsorships are in that sport. The FIFA World Cup 2026TM will open...

05/06/2025

Advertisers Achieve New Levels of Transparency and Scale with CTV

Show-level visibility and granular contextual targeting enabled by Gracenote gives brands more confidence in CTV buys NEW YORK June 5, 2025 Gracenote, the...

04/06/2025

Large audience tunes in to Inter's record-breaking champions league final defeat to Paris Saint Germain

Viewership figures once again show appeal of important live sporting events Mil...

03/06/2025

Nielsen and VIZIO's Inscape Extend Relationship to Strengthen TV Measurement

Nielsen and VIZIO's Inscape are extending their strategic data relationship, building on our collaboration that began in 2022. This multi-year agreement rei...

29/05/2025

FOX Television Stations and Nielsen Extend Multi-Year Measurement Agreement, Including Advanced Audiences

Renewal Spans all 18 Local Fox Markets and Includes Streaming Measurement of Loc...

29/05/2025

Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix are now home to 92% of sports programs on top SVOD services

Leading streamers expanded TV, movie and sports titles by 5% in Q2; Netflix led ...

27/05/2025

Nielsen celebrates 2025 Global Volunteer Month and Earth Day

Mumbai, India Brazil Guadalajara, Mexico Philippines Poland Throughout the month of April, Nielsen employees celebrated Global Volunteer Month with volunte...

27/05/2025

YouTube Maintains Largest Share of TV Viewing Among Media Companies For Third Consecutive Month

Paramount Exhibits Largest Monthly Increase in April's Media Distributor Gau...

22/05/2025

Gracenote Transforms Connected Cars into Sports Hubs

Sports fans can now seamlessly go between platforms and content types to follow favorite sports teams, live games and related content with Gracenote Nexus Auto ...

21/05/2025

Nielsen releases its 2025 Annual Marketing Report looking at the power of data-driven marketing

The seventh annual report uncovers how marketers are adapting to market trends a...

21/05/2025

The Gauge: Mexico April 2025

During April, streaming's share of TV viewing in Mexico showed a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared to the previous month, accounting for 24....

21/05/2025

The Gauge: Streaming Peaks Again, Drawing from Successful Multiplatform Strategies

Streaming Accounts for 44.3% of TV viewing in April, vs. 45.3% for Broadcast and...

21/05/2025

The Gauge: Poland | April 2025

The April 2025 data is in line with the seasonal trend observed in previous years. As in April last year, there was a decline in viewership associated with impr...

20/05/2025

Sunbeam Television and Nielsen's Local TV Agreement Now Includes ABC Miami and WSVN, a Fox Affiliate

Extended agreement includes Local TV and OTT measurement and Digital Content Rat...

19/05/2025

Latest Nielsen data shows NZ travel ad spend up by 12% YoY

Airlines lead the way as more Kiwis pack their bags for travel at home and abroad Auckland - May 14, 2025 - New data from Nielsen Ad Intel reveals a strong yea...

19/05/2025

Australian food sector ad spend rises 6% to $414 Million

Smallgoods, snacks and ice cream shows large growth Sydney - April 30, 2025 - Nielsen Ad Intel data released today has revealed a 6% increase in advertising in...

15/05/2025

Nielsen IBOPE Streaming Measurement Continues to Strengthen

Mexico City - May 15, 2025 - Nielsen, the global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, announced the expansion of its streaming measurement panel...

07/05/2025

March 2025 Less Time Spent Watching Video

Warsaw, Poland - April 28, 2025 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics, has released its latest March All Screens Video Landscap...

01/05/2025

Nielsen Launches The Ad Supported Gauge, a New Look at the Ad-Supported TV Landscape

72.4% of overall TV viewing in Q1 2025 is of content that includes advertising ...

23/04/2025

The Gauge: Poland | March 2025

March shows a further downward trend of time spent watching television; following the February period when winter holidays contributed to a shorter time spent. ...

23/04/2025

The Gauge: Mexico March 2025

During March, audiences in Mexico increased their streaming usage by 2.1 points compared to the previous month, accounting for 24.4% of TV viewing. Disclaimer:...

23/04/2025

Nielsen Report: Asian American Audiences Are Reshaping Sports, Digital Media and Beauty Trends

AANHPI audiences over index the total U.S. for share of time spent with Netflix ...

21/04/2025

Latest Nielsen data shows travel industry ad spend on the rise

Advertising investment up 9% YoY for travel and accommodationSydney - April 16, 2025 - Nielsen Ad Intel data shows that travel and accommodation has grown stron...

15/04/2025

The Gauge: March Madness Lifts Cable, Streaming Competition Grows as Seasonal Trends Take Effect

Seven different platforms deliver March's most-watched streaming titles. St...

14/04/2025

ReachTV Taps Nielsen for Ad Measurement Of Live Sports + Original Content in Airports

For the first time, advertisers and agencies can directly compare campaign perfo...

04/04/2025

Telewizja Polska rises to Second Place in Total Video Audience Rank

Warsaw, Poland - March 24, 2025 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics, has published its latest February All Screens Video Land...

27/03/2025

Nielsen and Acxiom Collaborate to Bring Increased Connectivity to Advanced Audiences

First of its kind ID-based, advanced audience integration NEW YORK - March 27, ...

25/03/2025

YouTube Achieves Best Monthly Performance to Date and Pulls Ahead in Nielsen's February Media Distributor Gauge

YouTube captures 11.6% of TV viewing in February. FOX climbs into the top three...

20/03/2025

Nielsen data shows financial sector ad spend rise in NZ amid shifting consumer sentiment and growing economic pressures

Auckland, March 20, 2025 Nielsen Ad Intel's latest data shows advertising ...

20/03/2025

Nielsen Ad Intel 2024 Advertising Spend Report reveals New Zealand's top advertisers, leading industries, and market shifts

Auckland, March 11, 2025 Nielsen Ad Intel, New Zealand's most comprehensiv...

19/03/2025

Nielsen Launches its 2025 Global Media Planning Report

Report highlights three key trends in a shifting media landscapeNew York, NY - March 19, 2025 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data, and anal...

18/03/2025

The Gauge: Mexico February 2025

During February, audiences in Mexico slightly increased their streaming usage by 0.6 points compared to the previous month, accounting for 22.3% of TV viewing. ...

18/03/2025

The Gauge: Poland | February 2025

February is the time of winter holidays, during which Poles often organize trips, which was reflected in less time spent in front of TV screens: on average 5 mi...

18/03/2025

The Gauge: FOX's Successful Cross-Platform Super Bowl Strategy Drives A Huge Day in Television Viewing

Sunday, Feb. 9 becomes the second most-watched day of TV in Gauge history with o...

12/03/2025

FAST now transcends back catalog content

More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...

10/03/2025

Nielsen and LiveRamp Expand Relationship and Power Advertising Data Accessibility Across the Industry

Nielsen Marketing Cloud data now available in LiveRamp's Data Marketplace fo...

07/03/2025

Super Bowl LIX Reaches Record High Number of Viewers with 191.1 Million

NEW YORK - March 7, 2025 - The NFL's Super Bowl LIX, broadcast on FOX, FOX Deportes and Telemundo and streamed on Tubi and NFL digital properties, continues...

06/03/2025

Over 36 Million Tune In To President Trump's 2025 Joint Address to Congress

NEW YORK - March 5, 2025 - An estimated 36.6 million people watched President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, acc...

03/03/2025

Nielsen Ad Intel 2024 Advertising Spend Report reveals nation's top spenders, leading industries, and market shifts

Sydney March 3, 2025 Nielsen Ad Intel, Australia's most comprehensive ad...

28/02/2025

Nielsen appoints Kirsten Riolo to lead newly created Custom Research Division

Sydney February 11, 2025 Nielsen today announced the appointment of Kirsten Riolo as Head of Consumer Insights for Australia and New Zealand, leading the co...

26/02/2025

College Football Playoffs on ESPN Boost Disney's Lead in Nielsen's January 2025 Media Distributor Gauge

Disney and Netflix Each Clinch Company Best Performances FOX and Disney Lead Mo...

26/02/2025

Gracenote reports significant increase in sports content on global SVOD services in Q1 2025

More sports added to four of the five leading services; big increases for Disney...