Where You Are: Home > CAB Research > 2005 Cable TV Facts

Cable Viewership Charts Summary

Consumers believe in the power of Cable with its multitude of branded networks addressing every viewer's passion - be it Animation, Arts, Award Ceremonies, Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Ethnic, Family, Fashion, Food/Cooking, Health, Home/How-To, Investigative, Kids, Lifestyle, Movies, Music, News/ Information, Quiz/Audience Participation, Reality, Science/ Technology, Science Fiction, Sports, Teens, Travel/Adventure, Weather, Wildlife/Animal, etc. Cable's commitment to excellence in all content genres has spurred its dramatic growth.

In the 2003/04 Broadcast season, Ad-Supported Cable demonstrated momentous gains across the board. More viewers of all ages tuned into Cable's diverse offerings than ever before. In contrast, collective viewership of the seven national commercial Broadcast networks continued to decline. Within the television medium, there is no source of viewing that has grown like Ad-Supported Cable. In the 2003/04 Broadcast season, Ad-Supported Cable once again surpassed national and local Broadcasters' combined share level on a Total Day basis by a healthy 5.4 points - earning a 46.5 share. In Primetime, Cable managed to close the 19 share point gap which existed with Broadcast just five years ago - delivering a 43.9 share. Cable's remarkable growth came from both ends of the age spectrum, especially among young adults.

Not only does Cable heat up during the summer months - outperforming Broadcast considerably - Cable consistently outshines its competition week after week, month after month. In 2004, Cable began to surpass Broadcast even during sweep periods - Broadcasts' strongest programming months.

Year after year, Cable's gains are Broadcast's losses. Now, 85 percent of Broadcasts' Big Four Primetime schedule achieves A18-49 ratings below 5 points. In today's One TV World, where Cable guarantees a deeper consumer connection with its branded networks, advertisers need to look at Cable first in order to reach their key audiences.

With its superior cutting-edge programming, Cable continues to engage viewers as they spend more and more time tuned to their favorite shows. Viewers of all ages are devoting an average of 6:47 hours weekly watching Ad-Supported Cable in Primetime versus only 5:39 hours for Broadcasts' Big Four. Not only are viewers spending more time with Cable, Broadcast continues to lose its grasp as time spent continues to decline year after year - down 11 minutes from a year ago.

Undeniably, the growth of Cable viewing helped maintain (or increase) the usage levels for the entire television medium. HUT and PUT levels in Primetime and on a Total Day basis throughout the 2003/04 year remained strong. In fact, the percentage of homes and persons using television increased across every major demographic group. As Cable continues to deliver top notch programming and puts consumers in control by offering them a range of flexible options to serve their entertainment and information needs, there is no question that Cable will continue to flourish in the coming years.

Back to 2005 Cable TV Facts Index