Paris Olympics Boost August TV, NBC, and Peacock Streaming Viewership: Nielsen

Television viewing patterns in August saw a significant surge driven by the Paris Olympics, as per fresh Nielsen data from The Gauge. The quadrennial sporting event made a substantial impact on broadcast viewership, with growth levels typically seen in September, marking an 8% increase from July and an 11.7% rise year over year.

During August, the broadcast category held a notable 22% share of TV viewing, peaking at 24.3% during the first week of the month. Concurrently, Peacock’s extensive Olympics coverage, alongside traditional linear offerings, propelled a 39% increase in monthly viewership for the streaming service, particularly attracting nearly double the viewers in the 35-49 age group.

This surge elevated Peacock’s share of TV from 1.5% in July to a platform-best of 2.1% in August, making it the third streaming platform this year to record a monthly share increase of 0.5 points or more, following YouTube and Netflix in previous months.

NBC’s Olympics coverage drew in millions of viewers across both primetime and daytime slots, with 32 telecasts amassing over 5 million viewers and 17 surpassing 10 million viewers. Notably, the Women’s Gymnastics Team Final in primetime was the top broadcast telecast of the month with 17.9 million viewers.

While total TV usage in August remained on par with July, a year-over-year comparison revealed a 3.5% increase from August 2023. Broadcast sports program viewership, in particular, saw a significant 239% surge compared to the previous year, underscoring the Olympics’ impact on the TV landscape.

Cable viewing also experienced a peak week coinciding with the Democratic National Convention, where cable’s share of television peaked at 27.9%. MSNBC dominated cable programs, claiming the top spots for the month, with ESPN’s college football matchup also making a notable appearance.

Despite a softer content month, streaming remained the dominant category in August, accounting for 41% of TV viewing. “The Umbrella Academy” on Netflix was the sole original program in the top 10, while acquired titles like “Prison Break” and “Bluey” on Disney+ garnered substantial viewing minutes, contributing to Disney+’s platform-high share of 2.3% in August.

YouTube continued its streaming dominance, securing the highest share of TV viewing for the 19th consecutive interval in August, with a substantial year-over-year increase. The streaming category as a whole gained 2.7 points year-over-year, marking an 11% rise compared to August 2023.