US Networks: How Many Homes Reached? Which Ones Are Gaining Or Losing Distribution?

Leading audience researcher John Morse shared the most recent data and his takeaways on changes in the distribution footprints of 120 of the 500++ networks distributed in the US.

Many of the channels are dedicated to factual programs and others offer a mix of nonfiction and other genres.

• The data is invaluable in helping you understand the scale – and growth trends – of the channels you are pitching.

The Nielsen report spotlights the raging debate about cord-cutting and the pervasive fear that the network television business will soon collapse like the newspaper industry.

• In our next post, we will feature an analysis of cord-cutting from video platform expert Will Richmond, the publisher of VideoNuze.

US TVHH’s (000)

 Source: National Nielsen People Meter

Key Findings (comparing Jan 2013 vs Jan 2014)

Down Side

• MORE than 50% lost 500K or more HHs
• 42% lost more than 1 million HHs

Up Side

• 30% gained more than 1 million HHs (Sports, Traditional Entertainment, Kids & Lifestyle Channels)
• Premium Cable and Live programming appear to be growing strong as there are relatively few substitutes, especially for live programs

Nielsen now projects total wired cable at 67,693,000 homes, down 187,000 in the past year.  Other measurement services have estimated larger decreases in wired cable.

• Sat. dish services total 37,016,000, up 822,000 from a year ago (+2.3%).
• Total Cable/Dish services have 104,198,000 homes, up 788,000 (+0.8%).
• The average cable network lost 78,000 homes, having more to do with sample adjustments than real losses.
• The average network nationally measured now reaches 69,948,000 homes.  This number has decreased because newer, smaller networks have been included in the average.

There were 8 nets with increases of over 4 million homes in the past year:

• FXX (formerly Fox Soccer): +28.1 million homes
  (This is the new Fox “general entertainment” network aimed at Adults 18-34.  It features movies 6PM-12Midnight and mostly off-network series during the rest of the schedule.)
• Velocity (formerly HD Theater): +11.3
• Fox Business Network: +7.1
• Fox Sports 1 (formerly Speed): +6.6
• Nick Toons: +5.2
• UP (formerly GMC): +4.8
• Hallmark Movie Channel: +4.2
• INSP: +4.2 . . . total homes reached is now 77.1 million, up 5.7% past year.

There were 6 networks with decreases of over 4 million homes in the past year:

• G4: -30.5
• Al Jazeera America: -9.1
• OVATION: -9.0 (TWC reinstatement is coming; should register with Nielsen next month)
• CLOO: -5.6
• ESQUIRE (formerly Style): -5.1
• SOAPNET: -4.9

Recent networks that have been launched or re-launched and have begun/continued Nielsen measurement in the past year (with homes reached in millions):

• Discovery Familia: 5.7 million homes
  (Note: Hispanic and Kids’ networks tend to have very high ratings even soon after launch . . . enough to monetize the Nielsen investment with relatively low distributions.)
• Disney Junior: 63.5
• Esquire (formerly Style): 71.3
• Fox Deportes: 21.3
• Fox Sports 1 (formerly Speed): 87.7
• Fox Sports 2 (formerly Fuel): 36.2
• FXX (formerly Fox Soccer Channel): 70.4
• Sundance Channel: 56.8
• Univision Deportes: 31.6
• Velocity (formerly HD Theater): 56.5

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Speaking Engagements

How Audience Research Can Make or Break Your Pitch
Realscreen Masterclass
Sunday, January 26, 2014 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Georgetown East

Brad Dancer, Master Class Leader, SVP, Programming, Planning and Research
National Geographic Channel
Brent Stinski, Master Class Leader, Founder and CEO Media Predict
Peter Hamilton, Moderator

Asian Side of the Doc
Chengdu, China, March 18-21, 2014
Panel: Crowd-funding Platforms in Asia
Panel: 3D / IMAX/ BIG SCREENS for Docs

MIPDoc
Cannes, April 5-6, 2014
Panel: How to Get the Funds: Co-pro’s and Foundations
Interview: Louis Vaudeville, CC&C Paris: The Apocalypse Franchise

AND, don’t miss Hot Docs in the Big TO
April 24 – May 4, 2014