Broadcast TV makes a triumphant return with Fall premieres

The comeback story: Broadcast TV’s resurgence

After a challenging period marred by Hollywood strikes and an improvised lineup, broadcast TV is experiencing a resurgence. Despite disruptions from the election, extreme weather events, and a turbulent media business landscape, networks are reinvigorated and back in full force, ready to captivate audiences once more.

The new normal in fall TV

Gone are the days when broadcast TV reigned supreme without competition. As the industry adapts to evolving viewer habits, primetime series are demonstrating remarkable resilience. Insightful data shows a renewed interest in new scripted shows on the Big Four networks.

ABC’s “High Potential” is making waves, growing its audience consistently over its first three episodes—a feat not seen since Fox’s “Empire” in 2015. Over at CBS, “Matlock” impressed so much that it secured a second season after merely two episodes. NBC’s “Happy’s Place,” a Reba McEntire comedy, defied odds by opening strong on a traditionally challenging Friday night. Similarly, Fox saw promising returns from its new series “Rescue: HI-Surf.”

Redefining success in modern ratings

In today’s landscape, judging success by overnight or live+same-day Nielsen ratings can be misleading. Initial figures often appear low, as audiences have long shifted their TV viewing habits. This first-night total viewer number is now just the beginning of a longer story.

Steve Kern, NBC’s senior VP of content planning, acquisitions, and strategy, notes, “There’s so much original programming daily, and people consume content on YouTube and other platforms.” Evaluating a show’s success now takes days or even weeks.

Benchmarking broadcast success

What constitutes a good initial rating today? It’s all relative, depending on the time slot, content, and lead-in. For instance, “High Potential” debuted at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday—traditionally a tough slot—with 3.59 million viewers and a 0.35 rating among adults 18-49.

“Happy’s Place” surprised NBC by starting with 4.03 million viewers and a 0.35 rating in the same demographic on a Friday. Meanwhile, “Matlock” attracted 6.38 million viewers with a 0.36 rating, and “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” achieved 6.56 million viewers and a 0.47 rating.

The role of multi-platform viewership

Considering new live+same-day benchmarks is vital. But what about DVR and VOD usage, alongside streaming performance on platforms like Hulu, Paramount+, and Peacock? Nielsen now offers extended multi-platform viewership data, giving a clearer picture of how shows perform over time.

Resilience in viewership numbers

If a show garners a seven-day multi-platform audience of 9 or 10 million viewers or more, like “Happy’s Place” or “High Potential,” it’s catching on with a broad audience. Programs like ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” in its fourth season can reach up to 20 million viewers over 35 days, with impressive ratings in key demos.

Ari Goldman, ABC’s senior VP of content strategy and scheduling, emphasizes, “Live-plus-same-day numbers do not fully reflect the success of scripted programming. We’re seeing significant engagement on DVR, Hulu, and direct-to-consumer platforms.” Some shows are drawing viewership akin to the numbers networks would have celebrated 15 years ago.

Concluding thoughts

In this evolving landscape, broadcast TV is not merely holding on; it’s thriving and adapting to new viewer behaviors and platforms. This fall’s “High Potential” and “Happy’s Place” exemplify the industry’s ability to captivate a diverse audience, proving that broadcast TV still has plenty of life left.

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