TV Ad Viewing Time Slips 1% in August, Analyst Finds
Total TV viewing time of all advertising content -- linear TV and streaming platforms -- continues to drift lower, according to the Madison and Wall Substack publication.
In August, total advertising time viewed was down 0.8% to 4.5 billion hours -- a 13% share of all TV viewing time (content and advertising). The previous year, in August 2023, it was at a 13.2% share. Two years earlier, in August 2021, it had 13.7% share.
Total TV programming content viewing time was at 87% share -- 30.5 billion hours.
“The reason for the reduced volumes of ad inventory are due to growth in viewing of ad-free and ad-light streaming services,” writes Brian Wieser, of Madison and Wall.
More specifically, Wieser estimates while total ad-supported viewing hours fell by 0.8%, total TV viewing climbed 3.5% year-over-year, per Nielsen. This was largely due to heavy Paris Olympics viewing consumption in August.
The drop in TV ad viewing time is a clear signal that traditional media is losing its grip in favor of streaming services. Conservatives should take note of this shift as a reflection of a broader consumer preference for choice and control over content. This aligns with our values of individual freedom and market competition. As ad-supported platforms grow, it’s crucial for conservative campaigns to diversify their media strategies, ensuring we are engaging with audiences where they are—especially as big tech continues to dominate the ad space.
~Political Media