TV Ratings: ‘Squid Game' Rules, But Broadcast Series Make Strong Showing in Multiplatform Rankings

Yahoo

2 days ago

With streaming now the platform of choice for the largest share of TV viewers in the U.S., it would seem logical that a streaming show would top the ratings rather than a traditional network show.
As it turns out, that's correct: Netflix's Squid Game is, by a sizable margin, the most-watched series of the 2024-25 season. But in Nielsen's multiplatform ratings, which measure viewing over five weeks and across all outlets, a number of broadcast series are still commanding large audiences.
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Of the top 20 shows through March 15 (the most recent date for which the 35-day ratings are complete), eight originate on broadcast networks — six from CBS and two from ABC. All of them average at least 11.5 million viewers per episode across their network showings and streaming over five weeks. CBS' Tracker is the top network show and fourth overall with 17.6 million viewers via CBS and Paramount+.
Squid Game, whose second season premiered in late December, racked up 27.1 million viewers in the 35-day window. Netflix's Adolescence (19 million) and Prime Video's Reacher (18.1 million) rank second and third, and two other network series, first-year breakouts Matlock (CBS) and High Potential (ABC), are tied for fifth overall at 16.1 million viewers.
This season is the first in which Nielsen has released multiplatform data showing how outlets compare. In the broadcast landscape alone, CBS leads the pack (as it does in linear ratings) with 9.1 million viewers in primetime. NBC is second at 7.2 million viewers, followed by ABC (6.9 million) and Fox (4.3 million). ABC has the biggest gain from Nielsen's linear ratings (which are measured over seven days), rising by 61 percent with streaming and the longer window. CBS improves by 59 percent with the longer multiplatform measure, while NBC grows by 41 percent and Fox, whose shows stream on Hulu but which doesn't have its own platform, adds 12 percent.
The top 20 shows (including ties) for all platforms and just on broadcast in Nielsen's 35-day multiplatform ratings are below. Sports and specials are excluded.
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