The recently released Nielsen’s The Gauge™ report for August 2024 highlights the significant impact of the 2024 Paris Olympics on television viewing habits. The Summer Games boosted broadcast viewership, particularly during the first week, accounting for 24.3% of overall TV consumption.
Streaming platform Peacock, offering extensive Olympics coverage to complement linear broadcasts, saw a substantial 39% increase in viewership, reaching a new high of 2.1% share of TV. This surge was partially fueled by a near doubling of viewers in the 35-49 age group, making Peacock only the third streaming service to achieve such a significant monthly increase this year.
NBC’s Olympics programming drew millions of viewers, with several broadcasts surpassing 5 million and even 10 million viewers. Olympics telecasts dominated the top 19 broadcast slots for the month, further highlighting the event’s popularity.
While total television usage remained consistent with July, it was up 3.5% compared to August 2023. This increase was mainly driven by a 239% year-over-year surge in broadcast sports viewership, highlighting the Games’ impact on the TV landscape.
Cable viewership also saw a peak, reaching 27.9% during the week of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). MSNBC’s DNC coverage secured the top 11 cable telecasts of the month.
The streaming category experienced a slight decline in August, primarily due to a lighter month for original content. However, it still dominated with 41.0% of TV consumption. The top streaming title was “Prison Break,” followed by “Bluey” on Disney+, which contributed to the platform’s 8% increase in viewership, reaching a new high of 2.3% of TV.
YouTube continued its reign as the top streaming service for the 19th consecutive month, with 10.6% of TV. Notably, YouTube has experienced the largest year-over-year increase in share for any streaming platform, further solidifying its position in the market.
Overall, the August 2024 Gauge report demonstrates the continued dominance of streaming and the powerful influence of major events like the Olympics in shaping viewer habits.