TV Use, Streaming Show Slight Downtick: Nielsen

TV usage, which jumped as people were ordered to stay at home to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, was 2% in the week of April 13, compared to the prior week, according to a new report from Nielsen.

Streaming was also down, with the use of internet connected devices down 3% from a peak the week before.

Nielsen said that live TV and connected devices remain the most-used forms of TV usage.

Time-shifted TV was up 2% for the week.

While streaming was down for the week, the number of streaming minutes was still nearly double from a year ago.

Netflix’s share of streaming dipped to 32% form 33% the prior week. YouTube was up to 20% from 19% and others--including Disney+---were up to 28% from 27%.

Nielsen said the most-streamed shows during the week were Ozark, Tiger King, The Office, All American and Grey’s Anatomy.

Since the weeks of March 9, the biggest increase in TV usage has been in New York, where it’s up 20.4%.

Other markets showing big gains in viewing include Buffalo, Baltimore, Denver and Boston.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.