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NBCU & Versant Dominate February TV Viewing
14 Apr
Summary
- NBCUniversal and Versant captured 13.1% of total TV viewership in February.
- Peacock viewing surged 64% with a 3% share of TV, its highest ever.
- Nielsen delayed February report due to new data methodology controversy.
NBCUniversal and its spinoff Versant achieved a commanding 13.1% of total television viewership in February, largely propelled by the Super Bowl and the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. This performance marked their strongest TV share since the Paris Olympics in August 2024.
The Super Bowl alone drew over 125 million viewers, providing a substantial boost to NBC's Olympic broadcast viewership. This event also significantly benefited NBC affiliate stations, increasing their viewership by 60% throughout February.
On the streaming front, Peacock saw a remarkable 64% surge in February viewing, reaching its highest share of the total TV market at 3%. The platform's simulcast of the Super Bowl attracted 20% of the game's audience, making February 8th its most-watched day ever.
Cable networks also saw gains, with USA Network experiencing a 234% viewership increase driven by Olympic coverage. Overall cable news viewership rose by 4.4% during the month.
In the broader media landscape, YouTube secured second place with 12.7% of viewership, followed by The Walt Disney Company (9.9%), Netflix (8.4%), and Paramount (7%). On streaming platforms specifically, YouTube led with 12.7%, followed by Netflix (8.4%), and a bundle of Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu (5%).
Nielsen's February report release was notably delayed due to controversy surrounding a planned shift to new data from the Advertising Research Foundation, which was expected to favor cable and broadcast over streaming. Nielsen has since decided to pause these methodological changes until the fall.
