Disney Dominates TV Viewing in January, Widening Lead Over YouTube

Disney kicked off the year with a major win in TV viewership, securing 12% of total TV screen time in January, according to Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge. This marks Disney’s strongest monthly performance since the tracking report began in November 2023. In contrast, YouTube, which has consistently been a top contender, held a 10.8% share.

Disney’s rise was largely driven by its coverage of the College Football Playoffs. The network dominated cable ratings, airing the seven most-watched broadcasts of the month. ESPN, in particular, saw a massive 84% spike in viewership compared to December, contributing significantly to Disney’s overall growth.

Other major media companies also had a strong presence:

• Paramount Global secured an 8.9% share.
• Netflix hit a record 8.6%, with Squid Game racking up an astonishing 9 billion minutes of viewing time.
• NBCUniversal followed closely with 8.1%.
• Fox claimed a 7.6% share, tying with Disney for the largest monthly increase in audience engagement.

January saw a notable 5% increase in overall TV viewing, thanks in part to a 26% rise in cable news consumption. MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN all saw double-digit growth, with CNN leading at 39%. Other high-performing broadcasts included ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and The Golden Globes.

Despite Disney’s gains, streaming remained the dominant category, accounting for 42.6% of total TV viewing. Broadcast TV also saw a modest 5.1% rise, bringing its share to 22.5%, while cable TV climbed 7% to reach 24.4%.

Beyond the top competitors, several other networks held their ground:

• Warner Bros. Discovery – 6.1%
• Amazon – 3.7%
• The Roku Channel – 2.1%
• Scripps – 2%
• Weigel Broadcasting – 1.3%
• A+E Networks – 1.1%
• Hallmark – 1%
• AMC Networks – 0.8%

However, not all networks experienced growth. As the holiday season ended, Hallmark’s viewership dipped 22% compared to December, ending a streak of consecutive monthly gains.

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