TV Ratings: ‘Matlock,’ ‘Tracker’ Premieres Score Big Multi-Platform Audiences

by

As a long-time fan of CBS shows, I must say that the recent surge in streaming viewership is nothing short of amazing! It feels like we’re living in the golden age of television, with so many great shows available at our fingertips.

Streaming gave a big boost to viewing for several of CBS’ season and series premieres.

It’s not unexpected that streaming contributes significantly (often making up the majority) to a television show’s weekly viewership. However, the number of viewers for the selected shows CBS announced on Tuesday surpassed 10 million each, which is quite impressive.

The premiere of the second season of Tracker, which aired on October 13, garnered a total of 15.7 million viewers within a week, marking a 25% increase compared to its time-slot premiere in the previous season (excluding the series opener following the Super Bowl). Interestingly, about 47% of these viewers tuned in after the initial broadcast: Approximately 7 million viewers streamed it on Paramount+ and CBS’ digital platforms, along with other delayed viewings, following the 8.31 million viewers who watched it live on television, according to Nielsen data.

In this account, all the audience statistics provided by CBS come from two sources: their own internal streaming data and viewership counts from VideoAmp, an external measurement company. Currently, CBS isn’t utilizing data from Nielsen due to a contract disagreement.

Initially airing drama series ‘Matlock’ in its first year, surprisingly drew in 15.8 million viewers over a span of 30 days when it first premiered. Two subsequent broadcasts were also included, boosting the viewership count to an impressive 22.8 million who tuned into the Kathy Bates-led show’s debut episode. Notably, CBS has already greenlit another season for ‘Matlock’.

The spinoff of Young Sheldon, titled Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, drew in 6.56 million viewers initially, as per Nielsen, and later climbed to 10.6 million across all platforms within a week, according to VideoAmp (same-day numbers from VideoAmp are not yet available). This seven-day total viewership is slightly higher than the initial viewership for the final season premiere of Young Sheldon in February. Similarly, the spinoff series Elsbeth garnered 10 million multi-platform viewers, a 19% increase compared to its debut episode.

The substantial surge in viewership for CBS shows aligns with the public data for several network series this season. For instance, ABC’s show High Potential attracted more than 10 million viewers across platforms during its first two episodes, and another of their shows, Doctor Odyssey, saw significant growth with 7.6 million viewers over a span of three days. Remarkably, Abbott Elementary nearly tripled its season premiere audience with 6.19 million viewers within a week.

Read More

2024-10-29 21:55