Comscore & Evan Shapiro: Broadcast & Cable Lead Ad-Supported Viewing

Comscore enlisted media cartographer Evan Shapiro to analyze its latest viewership data in the U.S. in The Score Report, finding that broadcast and cable networks still control the vast majority of ad-supported viewing.

The report analyzed viewership data from 29 million U.S. homes. In Q2, 2024, almost 87 percent of all ad time on TV was viewed on cable or broadcast. In the first half, broadcast television alone secured 43.7 percent of ad-supported viewing, with CBS out front with 10.2 percent, followed by ABC (9.8 percent), NBC (9.4 percent) and FOX (5.3 percent). Cable had a 43.4 percent share, with streaming at just 13.1 percent.

News and sports are key, especially in pay TV, with FOX News at 4.6 percent share, MSNBC at 2.2 percent, ESPN at 2 percent and CNN at 1.8 percent.

In streaming, YouTube dominates with its 4.6 percent share of viewing time—placing it directly behind FOX, with Hulu at 3.6 percent and FOX Corporation-owned Tubi delivering a strong showing with 1.4 percent, ahead of U.S. Hispanic broadcasters Univision and Telemundo.

“While the ad tiers of many premium streaming platforms have yet to mature past the point of 1 percent of ad viewing time, clearly YouTube (#5) and Hulu (#7) are TV advertising forces to be reckoned with—especially given their attractive, young audiences,” Shapiro says.