GITNUXREPORT 2026

Television Viewership Statistics

Television viewership continues its global decline, yet major sports and live events remain strong.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Traditional TV households in US fell from 90% in 2015 to 65% in 2023

Statistic 2

Streaming-only US homes rose to 41% in 2023 from 20% in 2019

Statistic 3

US pay-TV subscribers lost 6.5 million in 2023, total 65 million

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FAST services reached 43% US adoption in 2023

Statistic 5

US vMVPD subs (YouTube TV etc.) hit 14 million in 2023, up 20%

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Cable/sat TV share of US viewing dropped to 27% in 2023 from 80% in 2010

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57 million US 'cord-nevers' existed in 2023, never had pay-TV

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Broadband-only US homes up to 52% in 2023

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US linear TV ad revenue down 12% to $52B in 2023

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CTV/FAST hours in US grew 25% to 1.2 trillion in 2023

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82% US cord-cutters cited cost savings as reason in 2023 survey

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US hybrid homes (pay-TV + streaming) 38% in 2023

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Regional sports networks lost 5 million US subs since 2019 to 2023

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AVOD platforms like Tubi reached 77 million US MAUs in 2023

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US pay-TV churn rate hit 2.8% monthly in 2023

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Streaming capture rate in US 38.8% of TV time in 2023

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25% US adults cut cord in past year per 2023 survey

Statistic 18

US rural cord-cutting slower at 15% vs 30% urban 2023-2023

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Netflix SVOD share of streaming 22% in US 2023

Statistic 20

US multichannel video market down to $90B revenue 2023

Statistic 21

Hulu + Live TV subs doubled to 4.1M in US 2023

Statistic 22

In the US, 18-49 demo TV viewing time was 2 hours 12 minutes daily in 2022

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Women aged 25-54 in US watched 25% more TV than men in 2023, averaging 4.2 hours daily

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US Gen Z (18-24) TV usage dropped to 1.7 hours per day in 2023 from 2.1 in 2019

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Households with children under 12 watched 15% more TV in US 2023

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US Black/African American viewers averaged 5.1 hours daily TV in 2023, highest demo

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Seniors 65+ in US TV time 7.2 hours daily in 2023

Statistic 28

US Hispanic viewers 18-34 watched 2.8 hours TV daily in 2023

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Rural US households TV penetration 92% vs 85% urban in 2023

Statistic 30

US college-educated viewers under 35 cut TV by 30% since 2015

Statistic 31

Baby Boomers (55-73) accounted for 42% of US TV viewing hours in 2023

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US income >$100k households TV time 3.1 hours vs 4.5 low-income in 2023

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LGBTQ+ viewers in US watched 20% more streaming-inclusive TV in 2023

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US men 18-49 sports TV 2.5 hours weekly more than women

Statistic 35

Asian American US TV usage 3.4 hours daily, up 5% YoY 2023

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Single-person US households watched 28% more TV in 2023

Statistic 37

US veterans TV viewing 5.8 hours daily, highest among groups 2023

Statistic 38

Parents with teens (13-17) TV co-viewing up 12% in 2023 US

Statistic 39

US disabled adults TV time 6.1 hours daily vs 3.9 non-disabled 2023

Statistic 40

Gamers aged 18-34 in US TV 1.9 hours, down 15% since 2020

Statistic 41

US married couples TV 3.9 hours daily vs 4.6 singles 2023

Statistic 42

Homeowners vs renters US TV gap widened to 1.2 hours daily 2023

Statistic 43

US pet owners watched 4.1 hours TV daily, 8% more than non-owners 2023

Statistic 44

College students US TV 1.4 hours daily, lowest adult group 2023

Statistic 45

US blue-collar workers TV 4.7 hours vs 2.9 white-collar 2023

Statistic 46

Religious US households TV 4.3 hours daily vs 3.5 secular 2023

Statistic 47

US immigrants 1st gen TV 4.9 hours, highest 2023

Statistic 48

Fitness enthusiasts US TV down 22% to 2.3 hours 2023

Statistic 49

US music fans TV viewing 3.2 hours daily 2023

Statistic 50

Remote workers US TV up 18% to 4.2 hours since 2020

Statistic 51

Super Bowl LVII drew 115.1 million US viewers in 2023, highest ever

Statistic 52

Oscars 2023 telecast averaged 18.7 million US viewers, up 12% YoY

Statistic 53

FIFA World Cup Final 2022 peaked at 43 million US viewers

Statistic 54

NBA Finals Game 5 2023: 13.5 million US viewers

Statistic 55

WrestleMania 39 Night 2: 10.9 million US viewers 2023

Statistic 56

Grammy Awards 2023: 16.8 million US viewers

Statistic 57

NCAA March Madness Final Four 2023 averaged 15M US viewers

Statistic 58

Emmys 2023: 4.3 million US viewers, lowest non-COVID

Statistic 59

CMA Awards 2023: 8.5 million US viewers

Statistic 60

Tony Awards 2023: 4.8 million US viewers

Statistic 61

VMAs 2023: 1.2 million US viewers, MTV lowest

Statistic 62

Golden Globes 2023: 6.3 million US viewers post-scandal

Statistic 63

MTV Movie & TV Awards 2023 canceled due to strikes, prior 2022: 0.59M

Statistic 64

SAG Awards 2023: 1.8 million US viewers

Statistic 65

Billboard Music Awards 2023: 3.1 million viewers

Statistic 66

People's Choice Awards 2023: 2.4 million US viewers

Statistic 67

iHeartRadio Awards 2023: 2.9 million viewers

Statistic 68

American Music Awards last 2022: 2.2 million, no 2023

Statistic 69

Kennedy Center Honors 2023: 5.1 million viewers

Statistic 70

Miss America 2023: 1.6 million viewers

Statistic 71

State of the Union 2023: 27.3 million US viewers

Statistic 72

VP Debate 2023: 71 million US viewers

Statistic 73

Republican Debate Aug 2023: 13 million viewers

Statistic 74

Democratic Debate Sep 2023: 10 million viewers

Statistic 75

World Series Game 5 2023: 12.5 million US viewers

Statistic 76

Stanley Cup Final Game 5 2023: 7.8 million viewers

Statistic 77

US Open Tennis Final 2023: 1.9 million viewers

Statistic 78

In 2023, US television viewership averaged 3.8 hours per day per person aged 2+, down 2.5% from 2022

Statistic 79

UK linear TV viewing reached 2 hours 52 minutes per day in Q1 2024 for individuals 4+, a 10% YoY decline

Statistic 80

Global TV ad spend projected at $184.7 billion in 2024, with 52% from traditional TV

Statistic 81

US pay-TV households dropped to 66.1 million in 2023 from 76.7 million in 2019

Statistic 82

Average daily TV time in US for 18-34 year olds was 2.1 hours in 2023

Statistic 83

India's TV viewership hit 1.8 trillion hours in 2023, led by Hindi GEC channels

Statistic 84

US total-day viewership for broadcast networks fell 8% in 2023 to 20.4 million adults 18-49

Statistic 85

Cable TV viewership in US averaged 28.2 hours per month per subscriber in Q4 2023

Statistic 86

Japan TV viewing time averaged 3 hours 18 minutes daily in 2023 for all ages

Statistic 87

US primetime viewership L+7 was 42.3 million in 2023, down 7% YoY

Statistic 88

Brazil TV audience share for Globo was 26.8% in 2023

Statistic 89

US sports TV viewership grew 10% in 2023 to 52 billion hours

Statistic 90

Australia free-to-air TV reached 82% household penetration in 2023

Statistic 91

US late-night shows averaged 2.1 million viewers in 2023, down 20% from 2019

Statistic 92

China CCTV-1 nightly news peaked at 120 million viewers in 2023

Statistic 93

US daytime soap viewership fell to 2.3 million average in 2023

Statistic 94

Germany TV usage averaged 217 minutes daily in 2023

Statistic 95

US news TV primetime averaged 3.2 million viewers in 2023

Statistic 96

France TF1 group share was 19.2% in 2023

Statistic 97

US kids TV (2-11) averaged 1.8 hours daily in 2023

Statistic 98

Mexico Televisa audience share 52% in 2023

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US total TV usage hit 12 hours 42 minutes daily across persons 2+ in Q4 2023

Statistic 100

Spain Antena 3 led with 13.4% share in 2023

Statistic 101

US broadcast share of total viewing was 21% in 2023

Statistic 102

Italy RAI1 average 15.2% share in 2023

Statistic 103

US multicast networks grew 5% viewership in 2023 to 10% share

Statistic 104

Canada English TV averaged 17 hours weekly per viewer in 2023

Statistic 105

US Hispanic TV viewership up 3% to 28 hours monthly in 2023

Statistic 106

South Korea KBS viewership 15.8% share in 2023

Statistic 107

US total-day cable down 11% in adults 25-54 in 2023

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Despite a dramatic global shift away from traditional screens, from the staggering 1.8 trillion hours Indians watched TV last year to the 10% surge in U.S. sports viewership, television's grip on our culture and advertisers remains powerful, even as its foundation is being radically rewired by streaming.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, US television viewership averaged 3.8 hours per day per person aged 2+, down 2.5% from 2022
UK linear TV viewing reached 2 hours 52 minutes per day in Q1 2024 for individuals 4+, a 10% YoY decline
Global TV ad spend projected at $184.7 billion in 2024, with 52% from traditional TV
In the US, 18-49 demo TV viewing time was 2 hours 12 minutes daily in 2022
Women aged 25-54 in US watched 25% more TV than men in 2023, averaging 4.2 hours daily
US Gen Z (18-24) TV usage dropped to 1.7 hours per day in 2023 from 2.1 in 2019
Traditional TV households in US fell from 90% in 2015 to 65% in 2023
Streaming-only US homes rose to 41% in 2023 from 20% in 2019
US pay-TV subscribers lost 6.5 million in 2023, total 65 million
Super Bowl LVII drew 115.1 million US viewers in 2023, highest ever
Oscars 2023 telecast averaged 18.7 million US viewers, up 12% YoY
FIFA World Cup Final 2022 peaked at 43 million US viewers

Television viewership continues its global decline, yet major sports and live events remain strong.

Cord-Cutting Trends

Traditional TV households in US fell from 90% in 2015 to 65% in 2023
Streaming-only US homes rose to 41% in 2023 from 20% in 2019
US pay-TV subscribers lost 6.5 million in 2023, total 65 million
FAST services reached 43% US adoption in 2023
US vMVPD subs (YouTube TV etc.) hit 14 million in 2023, up 20%
Cable/sat TV share of US viewing dropped to 27% in 2023 from 80% in 2010
57 million US 'cord-nevers' existed in 2023, never had pay-TV
Broadband-only US homes up to 52% in 2023
US linear TV ad revenue down 12% to $52B in 2023
CTV/FAST hours in US grew 25% to 1.2 trillion in 2023
82% US cord-cutters cited cost savings as reason in 2023 survey
US hybrid homes (pay-TV + streaming) 38% in 2023
Regional sports networks lost 5 million US subs since 2019 to 2023
AVOD platforms like Tubi reached 77 million US MAUs in 2023
US pay-TV churn rate hit 2.8% monthly in 2023
Streaming capture rate in US 38.8% of TV time in 2023
25% US adults cut cord in past year per 2023 survey
US rural cord-cutting slower at 15% vs 30% urban 2023-2023
Netflix SVOD share of streaming 22% in US 2023
US multichannel video market down to $90B revenue 2023
Hulu + Live TV subs doubled to 4.1M in US 2023

Cord-Cutting Trends Interpretation

The traditional cable bundle is getting ghosted with the speed of a buffering symbol, as America, tired of paying for channels it never watches, has collectively declared 'it's not you, it's your price' and moved into a sprawling, ad-supported streaming neighborhood that offers both infinite choice and perpetual indecision.

Demographics

In the US, 18-49 demo TV viewing time was 2 hours 12 minutes daily in 2022
Women aged 25-54 in US watched 25% more TV than men in 2023, averaging 4.2 hours daily
US Gen Z (18-24) TV usage dropped to 1.7 hours per day in 2023 from 2.1 in 2019
Households with children under 12 watched 15% more TV in US 2023
US Black/African American viewers averaged 5.1 hours daily TV in 2023, highest demo
Seniors 65+ in US TV time 7.2 hours daily in 2023
US Hispanic viewers 18-34 watched 2.8 hours TV daily in 2023
Rural US households TV penetration 92% vs 85% urban in 2023
US college-educated viewers under 35 cut TV by 30% since 2015
Baby Boomers (55-73) accounted for 42% of US TV viewing hours in 2023
US income >$100k households TV time 3.1 hours vs 4.5 low-income in 2023
LGBTQ+ viewers in US watched 20% more streaming-inclusive TV in 2023
US men 18-49 sports TV 2.5 hours weekly more than women
Asian American US TV usage 3.4 hours daily, up 5% YoY 2023
Single-person US households watched 28% more TV in 2023
US veterans TV viewing 5.8 hours daily, highest among groups 2023
Parents with teens (13-17) TV co-viewing up 12% in 2023 US
US disabled adults TV time 6.1 hours daily vs 3.9 non-disabled 2023
Gamers aged 18-34 in US TV 1.9 hours, down 15% since 2020
US married couples TV 3.9 hours daily vs 4.6 singles 2023
Homeowners vs renters US TV gap widened to 1.2 hours daily 2023
US pet owners watched 4.1 hours TV daily, 8% more than non-owners 2023
College students US TV 1.4 hours daily, lowest adult group 2023
US blue-collar workers TV 4.7 hours vs 2.9 white-collar 2023
Religious US households TV 4.3 hours daily vs 3.5 secular 2023
US immigrants 1st gen TV 4.9 hours, highest 2023
Fitness enthusiasts US TV down 22% to 2.3 hours 2023
US music fans TV viewing 3.2 hours daily 2023
Remote workers US TV up 18% to 4.2 hours since 2020

Demographics Interpretation

While Gen Z scrolls and college grads flee, the great American television divide endures, with seniors and veterans holding the remote in a marathon of viewing that starkly outlines our days by age, income, and life circumstance.

Major Events

Super Bowl LVII drew 115.1 million US viewers in 2023, highest ever
Oscars 2023 telecast averaged 18.7 million US viewers, up 12% YoY
FIFA World Cup Final 2022 peaked at 43 million US viewers
NBA Finals Game 5 2023: 13.5 million US viewers
WrestleMania 39 Night 2: 10.9 million US viewers 2023
Grammy Awards 2023: 16.8 million US viewers
NCAA March Madness Final Four 2023 averaged 15M US viewers
Emmys 2023: 4.3 million US viewers, lowest non-COVID
CMA Awards 2023: 8.5 million US viewers
Tony Awards 2023: 4.8 million US viewers
VMAs 2023: 1.2 million US viewers, MTV lowest
Golden Globes 2023: 6.3 million US viewers post-scandal
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2023 canceled due to strikes, prior 2022: 0.59M
SAG Awards 2023: 1.8 million US viewers
Billboard Music Awards 2023: 3.1 million viewers
People's Choice Awards 2023: 2.4 million US viewers
iHeartRadio Awards 2023: 2.9 million viewers
American Music Awards last 2022: 2.2 million, no 2023
Kennedy Center Honors 2023: 5.1 million viewers
Miss America 2023: 1.6 million viewers
State of the Union 2023: 27.3 million US viewers
VP Debate 2023: 71 million US viewers
Republican Debate Aug 2023: 13 million viewers
Democratic Debate Sep 2023: 10 million viewers
World Series Game 5 2023: 12.5 million US viewers
Stanley Cup Final Game 5 2023: 7.8 million viewers
US Open Tennis Final 2023: 1.9 million viewers

Major Events Interpretation

The Super Bowl is a national holiday, a Vice Presidential debate is a partisan battle royale, and everything else is just us scrolling for something better to watch.

US Viewership Trends

In 2023, US television viewership averaged 3.8 hours per day per person aged 2+, down 2.5% from 2022
UK linear TV viewing reached 2 hours 52 minutes per day in Q1 2024 for individuals 4+, a 10% YoY decline
Global TV ad spend projected at $184.7 billion in 2024, with 52% from traditional TV
US pay-TV households dropped to 66.1 million in 2023 from 76.7 million in 2019
Average daily TV time in US for 18-34 year olds was 2.1 hours in 2023
India's TV viewership hit 1.8 trillion hours in 2023, led by Hindi GEC channels
US total-day viewership for broadcast networks fell 8% in 2023 to 20.4 million adults 18-49
Cable TV viewership in US averaged 28.2 hours per month per subscriber in Q4 2023
Japan TV viewing time averaged 3 hours 18 minutes daily in 2023 for all ages
US primetime viewership L+7 was 42.3 million in 2023, down 7% YoY
Brazil TV audience share for Globo was 26.8% in 2023
US sports TV viewership grew 10% in 2023 to 52 billion hours
Australia free-to-air TV reached 82% household penetration in 2023
US late-night shows averaged 2.1 million viewers in 2023, down 20% from 2019
China CCTV-1 nightly news peaked at 120 million viewers in 2023
US daytime soap viewership fell to 2.3 million average in 2023
Germany TV usage averaged 217 minutes daily in 2023
US news TV primetime averaged 3.2 million viewers in 2023
France TF1 group share was 19.2% in 2023
US kids TV (2-11) averaged 1.8 hours daily in 2023
Mexico Televisa audience share 52% in 2023
US total TV usage hit 12 hours 42 minutes daily across persons 2+ in Q4 2023
Spain Antena 3 led with 13.4% share in 2023
US broadcast share of total viewing was 21% in 2023
Italy RAI1 average 15.2% share in 2023
US multicast networks grew 5% viewership in 2023 to 10% share
Canada English TV averaged 17 hours weekly per viewer in 2023
US Hispanic TV viewership up 3% to 28 hours monthly in 2023
South Korea KBS viewership 15.8% share in 2023
US total-day cable down 11% in adults 25-54 in 2023

US Viewership Trends Interpretation

The glowing rectangle in your pocket may be winning, but television globally is still a multibillion-dollar empire stubbornly refusing to be canceled, as proven by over $96 billion in ads, a staggering 1.8 trillion hours of Indian soaps, and the unshakable grip of sports.

Sources & References

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