TV
networks lost significant viewership over the past year -- especially that of younger adult viewers.
Looking at live program plus seven days of time-shifted viewing from July 2014 to June 2015,
viewership at 11 TV networks groups witnessed young 18-34 viewers taking the biggest hit -- down 14% -- 1.2 million fewer viewers, according to MoffettNathanson Research.
For the entire year,
TV networks groups sank 7% in overall total average viewership -- a decline of 3.4 million.
After 18-34 viewers, teens 12-17 declined the most -- off 16% (437,000), followed by kids 2-11,
which were down 10% (502,000). In terms of the absolute number of viewers, 35-49 viewers declined by the second-highest amount -- 736,000 or 7%. Viewers 50 and older gave up 504,000, down 2%.
Losses for young adult viewers -- in terms of the absolute number of viewers -- were worst at Fox (broadcast and cable networks) down 271,000, off 17%. Viacom was next, off 267,000 and down 19%.
NBCUniversal, for all its TV networks, lost 245,000 or 18%; and A&E Networks, slipped 112,000 or 21%.
TV network groups also lost ground with older viewing groups 35-49: A&E sank 19%;
Viacom, 13%, and Fox, 12%.
The best viewership performance for TV network groups, in analyzing all viewers, went to CBS -- which was 2% higher when looking at live program plus seven days of
time shifting for the year. Next was Scripps Network Interactive, which was flat versus the same time period a year before.
MoffettNathanson notes that independent TV networks were
collectively up 6% in total viewers, with much of that gain coming from older skewing networks.
The biggest overall decliners for the year were A&E Network and Viacom each down 17%. Fox
was off 11%.