Football, NYE Bash Propel CBS to Top of Most-Watched TV Networks Ranking

Each week, we highlight the most-watched shows and networks using insights from Inscape, the currency-grade smart TV ACR data provider and data technology division of Vizio. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching). Here's a look at the top 25 networks by viewership share for December 25-31 — head over to TVREV to see the program ranking and get insights about the top shows by watch-time.

CBS jumps from fourth to first place week-over-week, capturing 9.51% of watch-time on TV from Christmas to New Year’s. Much of that viewership was fueled by NFL games, but the network’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash also had people tuning in (it was actually the No. 5 program across all live TV for the entire week!). 

A few more insights around the most-watched networks:

• College football bowl games contributed to ESPN’s rise up the ranking, taking second place (up from No. 5 previously) with an 8.09% viewership share. 
• Although TBS remains in eighth place week-over-week, it saw a slight increase in viewership share, up from 1.99% to 2.01%. Programming driving watch-time included The Big Bang Theory, Friends and A Christmas Story.
• Thanks to Yellowstone marathons, Paramount Network jumps from No. 30 to No. 11 week-over-week; the show accounted for over 66% of all minutes watched on the network. 
• The other two week-over-week ranking newcomers are ESPN2 (No. 16) and BET (No. 25). 

See which programs garnered the most TV watch-time over the holiday week here.