NFL Playoffs Help NBC Take First Place on TV Network 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 for January 13-19 — head over to TVREV to see the program ranking and get insights about the top shows by watch-time.

NBC takes first place, up from No. 2 the previous week, with its 9.66% viewership share fueled by the NFL playoffs, Today and NBC Nightly News With Lester Holt. CBS slips from first to second place week-over-week (9.34%), with NFL playoffs, The Price Is Right, CBS Mornings and Hollywood Squares as some of its top programming by watch-time. 

Some additional insights around the week’s top TV networks:

• ABC moves up from fifth to third place, with its 8.98% viewership share propelled in part by the NFL playoffs, Good Morning America and ABC World News Tonight With David Muir. 
• Although Fox News sinks from No. 3 to No. 4 week-over-week, its viewership share rose from 7.70% previously to 8.50%, with multiple programs seeing increases from the previous week (read more about that on TVREV).
• Thanks in part to the Australian Open plus men’s college basketball games, ESPN2 moves up from No. 22 to No. 20 week-over-week (0.87% viewership share).
• Several networks maintain ranking positions week-over-week, but saw increases in watch-time, including: ION, MSNBC, Investigation Discovery, Game Show Network and Oxygen. 
• Nickelodeon was the sole week-over-week ranking newcomer, rising from No. 27 previously to No. 25, with its 0.72% viewership share fueled in part by reruns of Friends.

Sports, led by the NFL playoffs, lead the TV program ranking, but multiple news programs jump up week-over-week — get the insights on TVREV.