While broadcast television is often declared dead, the Super Bowl's 115.1 million viewers in 2023 prove it's still a cultural juggernaut, and this deep dive into the industry's viewership, revenue, and technological evolution reveals a medium in the midst of a dramatic and high-stakes transformation.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Super Bowl LVII broadcast on Fox averaged 115.1 million viewers, marking the second most-watched U.S. broadcast in history
- During the 2022-2023 TV season, CBS led broadcast networks with an average of 5.13 million total viewers in primetime
- NBC's primetime audience averaged 3.55 million viewers in the 2022-2023 season among total viewers
- U.S. broadcast TV revenue reached $57.5 billion in 2022, primarily from advertising
- ABC's revenue from TV advertising was $8.2 billion in 2022
- CBS Corporation reported $18.6 billion in total revenue for fiscal 2022, with TV contributing majority
- Primetime scripted series accounted for 45% of broadcast programming hours in 2022-2023 season
- Number of original scripted series on broadcast TV fell to 52 in 2022-2023 from 68 prior year
- Reality/unscripted shows made up 28% of broadcast primetime slots in 2022-2023
- Super Bowl ad spots sold for average $7 million for 30 seconds in 2023
- Broadcast TV political ad airings exceeded 1.2 million in 2022 cycle
- CPM for broadcast primetime 18-49 demo averaged $25.40 in Q1 2023
- ATSC 3.0 rollout reached 50% of U.S. households by end of 2023
- 44% of U.S. TV households subscribed to vMVPDs over traditional pay-TV in Q2 2023
- Broadcast TV usage among Gen Z fell to 8% of total TV time in 2023
The broadcast television industry remains strong, especially for live sports and news, but faces declining audiences and ad revenue.
Advertising Statistics
1Super Bowl ad spots sold for average $7 million for 30 seconds in 2023
Verified2Broadcast TV political ad airings exceeded 1.2 million in 2022 cycle
Verified3CPM for broadcast primetime 18-49 demo averaged $25.40 in Q1 2023
Verified4Local TV news ad revenue was $18.5 billion in 2022
Directional5Pharma ads accounted for 12% of broadcast TV ad minutes in 2023
Single source6Average primetime broadcast ad load was 14.2 minutes per hour in 2023
Verified7Auto ads increased 15% on broadcast TV post-2023 strikes
Verified8Q4 2022 upfront broadcast ad commitments totaled $9.2 billion
Verified9Retail ad spend on broadcast TV reached $6.8 billion in 2022 holiday season
Directional10C3 ratings basis saw 8% decline in ad impressions for broadcast in 2023
Single source11Legal services ads surged 22% to top spender category on local TV in 2023
Verified12Broadcast networks sold 92% of inventory upfront for 2023-24 season
Verified13Financial services ads averaged 4.1 minutes per primetime hour in 2023
Verified14Hispanic-targeted ads on broadcast grew 10% to $1.2 billion in 2022
Directional15Streaming measurement led to 5% shift of ad dollars from broadcast in 2023
Single source16Candy/confection ads doubled during Halloween on broadcast TV 2023
Verified17Broadcast TV ad revenue per viewer fell 7% YoY to $120 in 2023
Verified18Telecom ads occupied 9% of broadcast ad time in Q2 2023
Verified19Upfront pricing for broadcast primetime rose 4% to $27 CPM in 2023
Directional20Quick-service restaurant ads averaged $2.1 billion on broadcast in 2022
Single source21Addressable TV ads on broadcast platforms reached 20 million households in 2023
Verified22Beer ads declined 6% amid cord-cutting impact on broadcast 2023
Verified23Broadcast scatter pricing exceeded upfront by 12% in late 2023
Verified24Packaged goods ads share was 11.3% of broadcast TV time in 2023
Directional25Travel ads rebounded 25% to $1.5 billion on broadcast post-COVID 2023
Single source26Election Day 2022 saw 45,000 political ad airings on broadcast TV
VerifiedAdvertising Statistics Interpretation
The numbers don't lie: broadcast TV remains a uniquely potent, and savagely expensive, town square where democracy is pitched next to pharmaceuticals, cars, and candy, all while wrestling with a reality of declining viewers and shifting dollars.
Industry Trends and Technology
1ATSC 3.0 rollout reached 50% of U.S. households by end of 2023
Verified244% of U.S. TV households subscribed to vMVPDs over traditional pay-TV in Q2 2023
Verified3Broadcast TV usage among Gen Z fell to 8% of total TV time in 2023
Verified472% of local TV stations offered live streaming in 2023, up from 65% in 2022
Directional5NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) enabled 4K HDR broadcasts in 40 markets by 2023
Single source6Over-the-air only households rose to 15% of U.S. total in 2023
Verified7AI usage in broadcast newsrooms reached 35% for content creation in 2023
Verified84K broadcast adoption hit 25% of NFL games in 2023 via ATSC 3.0
Verified9Virtual production stages used in 12% of broadcast pilots for 2023-24 season
Directional1088% of broadcasters invested in IP workflows by end of 2023
Single source11FAST channels from broadcasters grew to 150 on platforms like Roku in 2023
Verified12Remote production used for 60% of live sports broadcasts in 2023
Verified1355 million U.S. smart TVs tuned to broadcast apps monthly in 2023
Verified14Cloud-based playout adopted by 40% of local stations in 2023
Directional155G integration for field production reached 28% of news teams in 2023
Single source16Broadcast TV carbon footprint reduced 12% via LED lighting in 2023 studios
Verified17Personalized ads via ATSC 3.0 tested in 10 markets reaching 20M homes 2023
Verified1865% of broadcasters planned OTT app launches by 2024 per 2023 survey
Verified19HDR broadcasts increased to 35% of primetime content in top markets 2023
Directional20Robotic cameras used in 45% of network news studios in 2023
Single source2130% decline in broadcast TV employment since 2019 to 120,000 jobs in 2023
Verified22Interactive TV trials via ATSC 3.0 engaged 5 million viewers in 2023 pilots
Verified2376% of local stations multicasted 4+ channels in 2023 digital slots
Verified24VR/AR news experiences broadcast to 10% of stations experimentally in 2023
Directional25Edge computing reduced latency 40% for live broadcasts in 2023 tests
Single source2692% of top affiliates used automated captioning AI in 2023
VerifiedIndustry Trends and Technology Interpretation
While traditional broadcast TV is learning to flirt with the cord-cutting, tech-embracing younger generation—offering 4K sports, streaming apps, and AI-crafted news even as its job numbers shrink—it's clear the industry is desperately remodeling its aging house into a sleek, multi-platform smart home before the last boomer changes the channel.
Programming and Content Statistics
1Primetime scripted series accounted for 45% of broadcast programming hours in 2022-2023 season
Verified2Number of original scripted series on broadcast TV fell to 52 in 2022-2023 from 68 prior year
Verified3Reality/unscripted shows made up 28% of broadcast primetime slots in 2022-2023
Verified4Live sports programming occupied 15 hours per week on average across major networks in 2023
Directional5Newscasts averaged 4.5 hours per day on local broadcast stations in 2022
Single source6ABC aired 120 episodes of Grey's Anatomy across 2022-2023 seasons
Verified7CBS's NCIS franchise aired 50 episodes in 2022-2023
Verified8Fox renewed The Masked Singer for 10th season with 22 episodes planned
Verified9Broadcast networks debuted 18 new scripted series in fall 2022
Directional10Game shows occupied 12% of daytime broadcast schedules in 2023
Single source11Local investigative reporting segments increased 8% to average 2.1 per newscast in 2022
Verified12Broadcast TV produced 1,250 hours of original news content weekly in 2022
Verified13Sitcoms declined to only 8 series on broadcast primetime in 2022-2023
Verified14NBC's Law & Order franchise expanded to 4 series with 44 episodes in 2022-2023
Directional15Weekend morning children's programming reached 95% of affiliates in 2023
Single source16Broadcast TV election coverage totaled 450 hours across networks in 2022 midterms
Verified17Procedural dramas accounted for 35% of top 20 broadcast shows by ratings in 2023
Verified18ABC's Dancing with the Stars aired 24 episodes in season 31 (2022)
Verified19CBS Big Brother summer 2023 season had 70 episodes
Directional20Fox's 9-1-1 series moved to ABC after 118 episodes on Fox
Single source21Local stations aired average 22 hours of news per week in 2022
Verified22Broadcast TV Spanish-language programming hours grew 5% to 1,200 weekly in 2023
Verified23Daytime soaps on ABC (GH, Y&R) totaled 520 episodes in 2022-2023
Verified24Broadcast networks canceled 15 scripted shows mid-2023 season
DirectionalProgramming and Content Statistics Interpretation
Broadcast television is stubbornly clinging to scripted drama by the fingernails while reality shows, live sports, and an endless conveyor belt of crime procedurals and singing competitions steadily hoist the rest of the schedule.
Revenue and Financial Statistics
1U.S. broadcast TV revenue reached $57.5 billion in 2022, primarily from advertising
Verified2ABC's revenue from TV advertising was $8.2 billion in 2022
Verified3CBS Corporation reported $18.6 billion in total revenue for fiscal 2022, with TV contributing majority
Verified4NBCUniversal's broadcast revenue grew 4% to $11.3 billion in 2022
Directional5Fox Corporation's TV revenue was $10.4 billion in fiscal 2023
Single source6Broadcast TV ad revenue declined 11% to $41.7 billion in 2023, per IAB
Verified7Sinclair Broadcast Group revenue was $4.3 billion in 2022
Verified8Nexstar Media Group's TV revenue hit $4.9 billion in 2022
Verified9Tegna Inc. reported $3.4 billion revenue in 2022 from broadcast stations
Directional10Gray Television's revenue grew to $3.7 billion in 2022
Single source11Average profit margin for top broadcast networks was 15.2% in 2022
Verified12Political ad spending on broadcast TV reached $3.2 billion in 2022 midterms
Verified13Retransmission consent fees generated $4.5 billion for broadcasters in 2022
Verified14Disney's linear TV segment revenue fell 5% to $23.1 billion in fiscal 2023
Directional15Paramount Global's TV media revenue was $20.3 billion in 2022
Single source16Warner Bros. Discovery's networks revenue was $25.7 billion in 2022 post-merger
Verified17Local TV stations' average revenue per station was $22.5 million in 2022
Verified18Broadcast TV affiliate revenue from national ads averaged $1.8 million per station in 2022
Verified19Cost of programming for broadcast networks rose 7% to $12.4 billion in 2022
Directional20EBITDA for top 10 station groups averaged 28% margin in 2022
Single source21Broadcast TV debt levels for major groups averaged $15 billion in 2022
Verified22Sports rights fees for broadcast TV increased 12% to $10.2 billion in 2023 deals
Verified23Digital revenue for broadcasters grew 18% to $2.1 billion in 2022
Verified24ABC News division revenue estimated at $1.1 billion in 2022
Directional25Local news revenue per DMA market leader was $45 million in top markets 2022
Single source26Broadcast TV M&A activity totaled $8.7 billion in deals in 2022
Verified27News programming generated 22% of local station revenue in 2022
VerifiedRevenue and Financial Statistics Interpretation
Broadcast television is still a multi-billion-dollar Leviathan stubbornly swimming in the digital sea, where every dip in advertising is fiercely countered by a surge in political spending, sports fees, and the life support of retransmission cash.
Viewership Statistics
1In 2023, the Super Bowl LVII broadcast on Fox averaged 115.1 million viewers, marking the second most-watched U.S. broadcast in history
Verified2During the 2022-2023 TV season, CBS led broadcast networks with an average of 5.13 million total viewers in primetime
Verified3NBC's primetime audience averaged 3.55 million viewers in the 2022-2023 season among total viewers
Verified4ABC averaged 3.92 million primetime viewers in the 2022-2023 TV season
Directional5Fox broadcast network averaged 2.76 million primetime viewers during 2022-2023
Single source6The 2023 Oscars on ABC drew 18.7 million total viewers, down 9% from the previous year
Verified7NFL games on broadcast TV averaged 17.9 million viewers per game in 2023 regular season
Verified8The 2023 NCAA March Madness championship game on CBS averaged 14.1 million viewers
Verified9Primetime live + same-day viewership for broadcast networks fell 5% year-over-year in Q1 2023 to 20.3 million
Directional10Households using TV averaged 3 hours and 43 minutes per day in 2023, with broadcast TV contributing 21% of usage
Single source11In 2022, the finale of ABC's The Bachelor averaged 5.7 million live+same-day viewers
Verified12CBS's 60 Minutes averaged 6.2 million viewers in the 2022-2023 season
Verified13Fox News Sunday averaged 1.8 million total viewers in Q1 2023, leading morning shows
Verified14NBC's Sunday Night Football averaged 19.9 million viewers in 2022 season
Directional15The 2023 Grammy Awards on CBS drew 16.8 million viewers, up 31% from prior year
Single source16Broadcast TV share of total TV usage was 19% in May 2023, per Nielsen Gauge
Verified17ABC's Good Morning America averaged 2.4 million viewers in 2023
Verified18In 2023, live sports accounted for 90% of broadcast TV's top 50 telecasts by viewership
Verified19The View on ABC averaged 2.5 million viewers daily in 2022-2023 daytime slot
Directional20Fox's Tucker Carlson Tonight averaged 3.2 million viewers before cancellation in 2023
Single source21NBC Nightly News averaged 6.1 million viewers in 2023
Verified22CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell averaged 5.3 million in 2023
Verified23ABC World News Tonight led with 7.8 million average viewers in 2023 evenings
Verified24The 2023 CMA Awards on ABC averaged 9.8 million viewers
Directional25Broadcast networks' primetime viewership among adults 18-49 was 0.52 rating in 2022-2023
Single source26Wheel of Fortune averaged 5.9 million viewers in syndication 2022-2023
Verified27Jeopardy! averaged 6.4 million viewers in 2022-2023 syndication
Verified28Live + 7 day ratings boosted ABC's The Conners finale to 4.1 million viewers
Verified29In Q4 2022, broadcast TV viewing time per TV household was 44 hours 15 minutes
Directional30The 2023 Tony Awards on CBS drew 4.8 million viewers
Single sourceViewership Statistics Interpretation
The only script broadcast television still follows religiously is a live sports schedule, with news and game shows serving as commercial breaks for the entire industry.
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