With a staggering 68.4 million primetime viewers tuning in during early 2023 and yet simultaneously facing a steady exodus of subscribers, the story of cable TV today is a complex portrait of enduring scale amidst undeniable decline.
Key Takeaways
- In Q1 2023, U.S. cable TV networks averaged 68.4 million total viewers during primetime
- Average daily cable viewing per person was 2.1 hours in 2023 for those 2+
- Cable networks captured 34% of total TV viewing in Q4 2022
- Cable TV households in the U.S. numbered 65.2 million in 2022, down 6% from 2021
- Pay TV households with cable access: 72.1 million in 2021
- U.S. multichannel video households: 81 million in 2023, with 55% cable
- Among adults 18-49, cable news viewership share was 12.3% in 2023
- Hispanics over-indexed cable viewership by 15% in 2022 compared to general population
- Women 25-54 viewed cable 18% more than men in daytime slots 2022
- ESPN primetime viewership averaged 1.8 million viewers in 2022
- Fox News averaged 2.3 million primetime viewers in 2023
- MSNBC primetime average: 1.1 million viewers in 2023
- Cable TV subscription rate projected to fall to 42% of U.S. households by 2027
- Cord-cutters increased by 8.5 million households from 2020-2023
- Cable TV market share expected to drop to 25% by 2028
Cable viewership remains significant but is steadily declining across all demographics.
Demographic Viewership
- Among adults 18-49, cable news viewership share was 12.3% in 2023
- Hispanics over-indexed cable viewership by 15% in 2022 compared to general population
- Women 25-54 viewed cable 18% more than men in daytime slots 2022
- Baby boomers (55+) accounted for 62% of cable primetime audience 2023
- African Americans viewed cable news 25% above average in 2022
- Millennials cable viewing down 28% since 2018
- Urban viewers cable penetration 52% vs rural 68% in 2023
- Gen Z cable exposure: only 8% of total TV time 2023
- Cable viewing among 65+: 5.2 hours/day average 2023
- Lower-income households cable sub rate 61% in 2022
- Asian Americans cable news viewership 14% below avg 2023
- College-educated viewers cut cable 22% faster 2023
- Suburban cable viewership 12% higher than urban 2023
- High-income ($100K+) cable subs down 15% since 2020
- Republicans viewed Fox News 5x more than Democrats 2023
- Women 18-49 cable share 26% primetime 2023
- Rural broadband areas cable retention 75% 2023
- Independents cable news viewership neutral party 2023
- Seniors 75+ avg 6.1 hours cable daily 2023
- Hispanic millennials cable drop 35% since 2019
- Blue-collar workers cable loyalty 68% 2023
- LGBTQ+ demo cable reality TV overindex 22% 2023
Demographic Viewership Interpretation
Cable news seems to be aging gracefully with its most loyal boomer base, while desperately trying to flirt with a younger, more diverse audience that’s increasingly looking the other way.
Household Penetration and Subscriptions
- Cable TV households in the U.S. numbered 65.2 million in 2022, down 6% from 2021
- Pay TV households with cable access: 72.1 million in 2021
- U.S. multichannel video households: 81 million in 2023, with 55% cable
- Cable subscribers lost: 1.2 million in 2022 alone
- Traditional cable penetration: 45% of TV homes in 2023
- Cable-only households: 39 million in U.S. 2022
- Expanded cable basic subs: 52.3 million end of 2022
- Digital cable households: 28 million in 2023
- Cable multichannels reached 85% household coverage 2022
- Basic cable subs: 44.1 million Q3 2023
- Cable TV revenue: $78B in 2022
- Analog cable drop: down to 5% of subs by 2023
- Cable franchise fees collected $2.5B in 2022
- Satellite-cable hybrid homes: 12M in 2023
- Premium cable subs: 28M for HBO/Showtime etc 2022
- Community antenna systems (early cable) peaked 10M subs 1980s
- Cable multichannel video programming distributors 90% reach 2023
- Cable video-on-demand usage 45 min/household weekly 2022
- Cable MSO market share Comcast 40% subs 2023
- Digital tier cable subs growth stalled at 60% penetration 2023
- Cable overbuilders cover 15% US homes 2023
- Cable tier 2 subs 18M in 2022
- Cable set-top boxes in 45M homes 2023
Household Penetration and Subscriptions Interpretation
The traditional cable TV industry, much like a once-dominant sitcom now relegated to afternoon reruns, is clinging to a lucrative but shrinking kingdom of bundled channels while its audience steadily migrates to the streaming promised land.
Popular Programs and Channels
- ESPN primetime viewership averaged 1.8 million viewers in 2022
- Fox News averaged 2.3 million primetime viewers in 2023
- MSNBC primetime average: 1.1 million viewers in 2023
- CNN total day viewers: 567,000 in 2023 average
- Discovery Channel averaged 912,000 P2+ viewers primetime 2023
- HGTV primetime: 1.4 million viewers average 2023
- TLC averaged 1.2 million primetime viewers 2023
- Food Network primetime: 987,000 viewers 2023 avg
- USA Network primetime avg: 1.05 million 2023
- Bravo primetime: 1.3 million viewers 2023
- Lifetime primetime avg 912K viewers 2023
- A&E primetime: 678K viewers avg 2023
- Investigation Discovery avg 1.1M primetime 2023
- Hallmark Channel holiday viewership 2.1M avg 2023
- Nick at Nite primetime kids/family 850K 2023
- Paramount Network Yellowstone finale 12M viewers 2023
- Animal Planet primetime 789K avg 2023
- Freeform primetime young adults 567K 2023
- VH1 primetime music 456K avg 2023
- Sundance TV niche avg 123K primetime 2023
- Pop TV primetime 345K avg 2023
- Ovation arts channel avg 89K primetime 2023
Popular Programs and Channels Interpretation
It appears America has decided that cozy holiday movies and a Yellowstone finale are our national pastimes, while cable news shouts, home renovation never ends, and the Food Network taunts us with snacks we can't taste, all vying for the attention of an audience that's increasingly just letting the TV play to an empty room.
Trends and Projections
- Cable TV subscription rate projected to fall to 42% of U.S. households by 2027
- Cord-cutters increased by 8.5 million households from 2020-2023
- Cable TV market share expected to drop to 25% by 2028
- Virtual MVPDs overtook cable in subs by 2025 projection
- Cable ad revenue projected to decline 12% annually through 2027
- 55% of U.S. adults plan to cut cord by 2026
- Cable TV to lose 20 million subs by 2028
- Streaming surpassing cable in hours watched by 2024
- Cable churn rate hit 2.8% quarterly in 2023
- Hybrid streaming+cable households to rise 15% by 2025
- Cable expected to retain 30M subs minimum by 2030
- Pay TV ARPU for cable down 4% to $102/mo 2023
- Cable bundling with internet retains 70% loyalty 2023
- Cable over-the-top services grow 10% subs 2024 proj
- Cable viability hinges on sports rights, 40% revenue 2028
- Cable penetration forecast 35% by 2026 in top markets
- Cable to represent 22% TV hours by 2025 proj
- Cable bundling discounts retain 25% more subs 2023
- Cable live events draw 2x streaming peers 2023
- Cable regional sports nets losing 10% subs yearly
- Cable niche channels face 50% sub loss by 2027
Trends and Projections Interpretation
The cable industry is frantically trying to plug a dozen leaks in its sinking ship, but its only truly reliable life raft seems to be bundling itself with the internet and throwing expensive sports rights overboard to stay afloat.
Viewership Hours and Ratings
- In Q1 2023, U.S. cable TV networks averaged 68.4 million total viewers during primetime
- Average daily cable viewing per person was 2.1 hours in 2023 for those 2+
- Cable networks captured 34% of total TV viewing in Q4 2022
- Primetime cable viewing share among 18-34: 22.4% in 2023
- Cable TV usage per household: 3.8 hours/day in 2022
- Total day cable ratings up 2% during NFL playoffs 2023
- Cable share of live sports viewing: 48% in 2023
- Evening cable news total viewers peaked at 3.5M in 2023 election
- Cable TV accounted for 29.7% of total TV usage Sept 2023
- Cable primetime share down to 18% in 2023 from 25% 2019
- Total cable viewing minutes: 1.2 trillion in US 2022
- Cable live viewing up 7% during Olympics 2024 coverage
- Cable share of TV ad impressions: 19.4% Q1 2024
- Cable total audience measurement up 3% weekdays 2023
- Cable daytime ratings for soaps avg 1.8M 2023
- Late-night cable like Colbert avg 1.2M 2023
- Cable news peak viewership 4.2M during debates 2023
- Cable sports networks like FS1 avg 1.5M events 2023
- Cable total day P2+ up 1.5% holidays 2023
- Cable morning shows avg 1.9M viewers 2023
- Cable weekend viewership 28% higher family slots 2023
Viewership Hours and Ratings Interpretation
Despite what the streaming revolution would have you believe, cable television stubbornly persists as a giant, gossipy campfire where nearly half the country still gathers to watch sports, argue about politics, and collectively spend over a trillion minutes a year confirming that their favorite soaps are indeed still on.
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