Although web site posts still automatically feed to Twitter, I’m taking a break from Twitter. Still, it feels rude not to answer questions so even if it’s kind of a cheat here are a few from the last few days. Richard Deitsch’s podcast today with Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand is a lot more interesting than anything below, but if you’ve already plowed through that and have some time on your hands….
@SportsTVRatings What time zone is used in that list?
— Jared Hammer (@jjjhammer) April 25, 2016
For national cable ratings timezones listed are eastern, but in the case of live sports what that always means is that 9-10p eastern = 8-9p central and 7-8p mountain and 6-7p pacific. In other words, for live telecasts the viewing is correctly captured and calculated regardless of timezones. This is true for metered market overnight ratings, and final national broadcast network ratings too. But it is not true for the fast-national broadcast network ratings that come out at around 11a ET each day, those numbers are not timezone adjusted.
@SportsTVRatings Do the GGG fight ratings/viewers from Saturday include the fact that HBO was on a free weekend or subscribers only?
— Pops (@pops2380) April 26, 2016
Subscribers only. Ratings for premium channels like HBO & Showtime don’t include promotional “freeview weekend” viewing.
@SportsTVRatings Curiosity question, why no ESPN deportes numbers? I’m impressed my the % of overall in the 18-49 of the other deportes
— Brian Cullather (@Briancullather) April 26, 2016
ESPN doesn’t subscribe to the Nielsen service that would measure ESPN Deportes in the national panel. ESPN Deportes is measured in Nielsen’s Hispanic panel, but I don’t see their numbers. Univision Deportes & Fox Deportes do subscribe to be measured in the national panel so I do see their numbers.
@SportsTVRatings What does billiards get on ESPN2 most of the time?
— Nathan Brice (@NathanBrice3000) April 27, 2016
I don’t know. The whole purpose of posting the daily cable numbers on this site is so that the curiously motivated can answer these questions on their own. Sometimes I’m also curious and don’t mind looking it up myself. If you’re curious but not curious enough to look it up yourself don’t feel bad. I feel exactly the same way!