Nielsen typically updates its universe estimates in late August/early September for the coming TV season, so I wanted to post the last set of cable coverage estimates under the current estimates. I plan on posting the first set of #s under the new universe estimates in late August or early September.
**DO THESE NUMBERS INCLUDE STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SlingTV, Vue and DirecTV Now?**
In the past that was a simple question to answer. The answer was “no.” Some people didn’t like it but it was simple! December was the last month that was the case though.
Starting with the January estimates the answer changed to “Yes….kind of.”
I applaud Nielsen for plowing ahead though I don’t know that I’d have gone ahead and started when I only had 6 (January estimates) or 21 (February estimates) or 37 (March estimates) households, or even the 91 (August estimates) that I could sample. By comparison the national TV panel has around 40,000 homes in it with around 100,000 participants.
**Nielsen plans to grow the alternate MPVD services (streaming services like SlingTV, Vue, DirecTV Now) participation rapidly over the coming months.**
**CHANGES SINCE LAST UPDATE**
The biggest one is the inclusion of Big Ten Network as a measured network. Nielsen also has begun segmenting “Total Cable Plus” (basically how big is the Pay TV Universe is). There are now versions with and without the MPVDs (Sling, Vue, DirecTV Now, etc).
**Some Tricky Comparisons**
The comparisons in the “Cable Sports Networks” vs March is only based on the fact that’s the last time I saw the full data and made these tables. You might see “But I heard ESPN was up in August!” ESPN was up in August versus the July estimates (87,217 million households in August vs 86,959 million households in July), but ESPN is still down vs. March.
I always liked the Cable Plus metric, but that’s now way more confusing. If you compare to the version without MPVDs ESPNs declines are lower than overall declines for pay cable since March, but if you compare them to the loaded w/MPVDs number…small sample size with lack of apples-to-apples (Nielsen didn’t have that metric in its March estimates), but in the case of ESPN it doesn’t look like MVPDs are making up for all of its wired losses.
Two tables below: first the August estimates for the cable sports networks (stick to sports!) and those sports networks’ change versus the March estimates.
The second table is the coverage estimates for all nationally measured cable networks.
Nielsen cable (includes satellite & telco services) coverage estimates for the nationally measured cable sports networks for August 2017:
If you’re on a mobile phone these tables should be much easier to read if you tilt your phone to landscape mode.
| Network name | March 2017 Estimate (000) | August 2017 Estimate (000) | Change Since March (000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEIN SPORT | 22,679 | 22,626 | -53 |
| BEIN SPORT ESPANOL | 18,319 | 18,660 | 341 |
| BIG TEN NETWORK | N/A | 57,595 | N/A |
| ESPN | 87,437 | 87,217 | -220 |
| ESPN2 | 87,349 | 87,088 | -261 |
| ESPNU | 68,574 | 66,083 | -2491 |
| FOX DEPORTES | 21,282 | 21,318 | 36 |
| FS1 | 84,159 | 84,421 | 262 |
| FS2 | 50,164 | 52,170 | 2006 |
| GOLF CHANNEL | 75,678 | 74,904 | -774 |
| MLB NETWORK | 64,014 | 61,384 | -2630 |
| NBA-TV | 50,838 | 48,651 | -2187 |
| NBC SPORTS NETWORK | 83,790 | 84,439 | 649 |
| NFL NETWORK | 70,954 | 69,475 | -1479 |
| THE TENNIS CHANNEL | 52,150 | 55,011 | 2861 |
| UNIVISION DEPORTES | 46,595 | 45,370 | -1225 |
| Total Cable | 96,992 | 96,108 | -884 |
| Total Cable w/MVPDs | N/A | 97,538 | N/A |
| Nielsen cable coverage estimates via friends at networks and not directly from Nielsen via @SportsTVRatings |
Nielsen cable (includes satellite & telco services) coverage estimates for ALL nationally measured cable networks for August 2017:
| Network name | August 2017 Estimated # of Homes (000) | Coverage % |
|---|---|---|
| A&E NETWORK | 90,496 | 76% |
| ADULT SWIM | 91,050 | 77% |
| AMC | 91,020 | 77% |
| AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL (Formerly MILITARY CHANNEL) | 52,862 | 45% |
| ANIMAL PLANET | 88,770 | 75% |
| BABY FIRST TV | 56,039 | 47% |
| BBC-AMERICA | 80,960 | 68% |
| BEIN SPORT | 22,626 | 19% |
| BEIN SPORT ESPANOL | 18,660 | 16% |
| BIG TEN NETWORK | 57,595 | 49% |
| BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV | 83,680 | 71% |
| BOOMERANG | 40,697 | 34% |
| BRAVO | 87,413 | 74% |
| CENTRIC | 49,227 | 42% |
| CHILLER | 27,123 | 23% |
| CINE LATINO | 5,490 | 5% |
| CMT | 74,305 | 63% |
| CNBC | 87,887 | 74% |
| CNN (Formerly CABLE NEWS NETWORK) | 91,993 | 78% |
| CNN / HLN | 92,991 | 79% |
| COMEDY CENTRAL | 89,431 | 76% |
| COOKING CHANNEL (Formerly FINE LIVING) | 63,391 | 54% |
| DESTINATION AMERICA (Formerly PLANET GREEN) | 50,365 | 43% |
| DISCOVERY CHANNEL | 91,211 | 77% |
| DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL | 5,964 | 5% |
| DISCOVERY FAMILIA | 5,656 | 5% |
| DISCOVERY FAMILY CHANNEL (Formerly THE HUB) | 59,033 | 50% |
| DISCOVERY LIFE CHANNEL (Formerly DISCOVERY FIT & HEALTH) | 47,371 | 40% |
| DISNEY CHANNEL | 91,209 | 77% |
| DISNEY JUNIOR | 71,479 | 60% |
| DISNEY XD (Formerly TOON DISNEY) | 73,616 | 62% |
| DIY NETWORK | 57,423 | 48% |
| E! ENTERTAINMENT TV | 89,776 | 76% |
| EL REY | 44,232 | 37% |
| ESPN | 87,217 | 74% |
| ESPN2 | 87,088 | 74% |
| ESPNU | 66,803 | 56% |
| FM (formerly NUVO TV) | 39,720 | 34% |
| FOOD NETWORK | 93,255 | 79% |
| FOX BUSINESS NETWORK | 85,104 | 72% |
| FOX DEPORTES | 21,318 | 18% |
| FOX NEWS CHANNEL | 89,269 | 75% |
| FOX SPORTS 1 | 84,421 | 71% |
| FOX SPORTS 2 | 52,170 | 44% |
| FREEFORM (Formerly ABC FAMILY) | 89,265 | 75% |
| FUSE | 62,903 | 53% |
| FX | 90,405 | 76% |
| FX MOVIE CHANNEL | 56,058 | 47% |
| FXX (Formerly FOX SOCCER CHANNEL) | 85,285 | 72% |
| FYI (Formerly BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL) | 58,664 | 50% |
| GALAVISION | 67,879 | 57% |
| GOLF CHANNEL | 74,904 | 63% |
| GREAT AMERICAN COUNTRY | 54,847 | 46% |
| GSN | 73,440 | 62% |
| HALLMARK CHANNEL | 88,383 | 75% |
| HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES (Formerly HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL) | 67,231 | 57% |
| HBO - THE WORKS | 35,100 | 30% |
| HBO PRIME | 34,549 | 29% |
| HEADLINE NEWS | 90,760 | 77% |
| HISTORY | 91,175 | 77% |
| HOME AND GARDEN TV | 91,294 | 77% |
| IFC TV (Formerly INDEPENDENT FILM CHANNEL) | 75,847 | 64% |
| INSP (Formerly THE INSPIRATIONAL NETWORK) | 81,490 | 69% |
| INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY (Formerly DISCOVERY TIMES) | 84,906 | 72% |
| LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK | 73,256 | 62% |
| LIFETIME TELEVISION | 90,456 | 76% |
| LOGO | 47,513 | 40% |
| MAXPRIME | 20,793 | 18% |
| MLB NETWORK | 61,384 | 52% |
| MSNBC | 89,388 | 75% |
| MTV (Formerly MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION) | 86,927 | 73% |
| MTV2 | 74,481 | 63% |
| MTV CLASSIC (Formerly VH1 CLASSIC) | 50,539 | 43% |
| MULTIMAX | 21,092 | 18% |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (Formerly NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHNL) | 89,473 | 76% |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD | 58,750 | 50% |
| NBA-TV | 48,651 | 41% |
| NBC SPORTS NETWORK | 84,439 | 71% |
| NFL NETWORK | 69,475 | 59% |
| NICK JR (Formerly NOGGIN) | 71,564 | 60% |
| NICK-AT-NITE | 88,650 | 75% |
| NICKELODEON | 88,650 | 75% |
| NICKTOONS | 61,783 | 52% |
| OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK (Formerly Discovery Health) | 77,126 | 65% |
| OUTDOOR CHANNEL | 37,337 | 32% |
| OVATION NETWORK | 46,891 | 40% |
| OXYGEN MEDIA | 74,949 | 63% |
| POP (Formerly TV GUIDE NETWORK) | 70,767 | 60% |
| REELZCHANNEL | 63,014 | 53% |
| RFD-TV | 47,209 | 40% |
| SCIENCE (Formerly SCIENCE CHANNEL) | 66,088 | 56% |
| SHOWTIME | 28,366 | 24% |
| SHOWTIME PRIME | 28,110 | 24% |
| SMITHSONIAN | 36,161 | 31% |
| SPIKE TV | 82,752 | 70% |
| SPORTSMAN CHANNEL | 30,092 | 25% |
| SPROUT | 57,782 | 49% |
| STARZ | 29,729 | 25% |
| STARZ ENCORE (Formerly ENCORE) | 36,836 | 31% |
| STARZ ENCORE PRIMARY (Formerly ENCORE PRIMARY) | 34,756 | 29% |
| STARZ PRIMARY | 28,861 | 24% |
| SUNDANCE TV (Formerly SUNDANCE CHANNEL) | 71,345 | 60% |
| SYFY | 89,940 | 76% |
| TBS NETWORK | 91,894 | 78% |
| TEENNICK (Formerly THE N) | 67,173 | 57% |
| THE CARTOON NETWORK | 91,050 | 77% |
| THE TENNIS CHANNEL | 55,011 | 46% |
| THE WEATHER CHANNEL | 82,644 | 70% |
| TLC | 89,760 | 76% |
| TRAVEL CHANNEL | 83,909 | 71% |
| TRU TV (Formerly COURT TV) | 87,222 | 74% |
| TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION | 90,881 | 77% |
| TV LAND | 87,215 | 74% |
| TV LAND CLASSIC | 87,215 | 74% |
| TV ONE | 59,543 | 50% |
| UNIVERSO (Formerly NBC UNIVERSO) | 41,298 | 35% |
| UNIVISION DEPORTES | 45,370 | 38% |
| UP (Formerly GMC) | 66,903 | 57% |
| USA NETWORK | 91,898 | 78% |
| VELOCITY (Formerly HD THEATER) | 73,200 | 62% |
| VH1 | 87,459 | 74% |
| VICELAND | 69,560 | 59% |
| WE TV (Formerly Womens Entertainment) | 86,852 | 73% |
| WGN AMERICA (Formerly Superstation WGN) | 78,678 | 66% |
| Z LIVING | 20,026 | 17% |
All data ©Nielsen (data provided by a variety of TV network sources and not directly from Nielsen)
—
ESPN used to have over 100,000,000 subscribers – then management decided to promote its politics – the result is a steady decline that never ends. I’m sure the shareholders are real pleased that Disney is bleeding money, because those who run ESPN want to promote Democrat politics – would Ford refuse to sell cars to Republicans? It’s the same thing – this is the type of attitude that destroys companies – pigheaded foolishness, as the company sinks lower and lower. How long before Disney gets tagged as well? How about the theme parks losing 22% of their customers? Time to short Disney stock!