Local News Coverage of Weather and Politics Helped Drive More Than 2.7 Million Households to Spectrum News Daily in February

STAMFORD, Conn. – Spectrum News averaged more than 2.7 million daily viewing households across its digital and linear platforms in February, ranking as the go-to source for local news among Spectrum customers across California, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin.

Additionally, on a month-over-month basis, Austin (17%) and Columbus (11%) had the largest increases in Nielsen viewership as compared to CNN, Fox News and MSNBC and local broadcast stations ABC, CBS and Fox.*

Coverage of an NYPD officer’s funeral in New York City, live debates in Texas and California, and inclement weather from Texas to the Northeast, drove viewership increases in local markets in February. Highlights include:

• Throughout coverage of NYPD Officer Wilbert Mora’s funeral on February 2, Spectrum News NY1 ranked as the most-watched network among Spectrum customers in the New York DMA, seeing a 21% increase in viewership from 8:30 a.m. to noon as compared to the previous 30-day weekday average.
• In Ohio, Spectrum News 1’s coverage of inclement weather on February 2, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. recorded higher increases in viewership than any of the local broadcast networks in Columbus (37%) and Cleveland (36%). Across the state, Spectrum News 1’s average viewership was more than three times higher than The Weather Channel’s live coverage during the same time period. The Spectrum News App saw significant increases in the weather section page views, with the Weather Alert Detail page recording five times the amount of page views when compared to January. From February 2 to February 28, weather-related content received nearly 33,000 article views, and the live feeds of Spectrum News 1’s coverage were streamed 75% more in February when compared to the previous month.
• During severe weather in Texas on February 3, Spectrum News 1’s coverage between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m. recorded an average increase of 46% in viewership as compared to the previous 30-day average. Specifically, San Antonio (62%) and Austin (+60%) had the highest increases, while viewership increased 38% in Dallas and was up 29% in the El Paso region.
• Winter weather in New York City on February 3 drew 50% more visitors to the Spectrum News App and page views of weather-related content were up 85% as compared to the previous four weeks.
• Spectrum News 1 in Kentucky’s coverage of the winter ice storm that impacted the state on February 3-4 recorded increases in viewership of 43% as compared to the weekday average of the prior 30 days. Spectrum News 1’s viewership was more than 3.5 times higher than The Weather Channel’s during the two-day span. On the Spectrum News App, page views were up 70% as compared to January, and weather-related content garnered over 9,000 article views from February 2 to 28.
• In New York, Spectrum News’ special live coverage of the New York State Democratic Convention on February 16 and 17 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. recorded higher viewership than CNN, Fox News and MSNBC.
• On February 17, Spectrum News NY1’s Black History Month special from 8 to 9 p.m. recorded higher viewership than CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, and local broadcast stations CBS, FOX and CW.

*Nielsen metrics are based on Live+SD, Total Day household impressions in the following DMAs: Austin, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Greensboro, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Raleigh, San Antonio and Tampa.

About Spectrum Networks

Spectrum Networks is a series of 24/7 news and sports networks owned and operated by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 32 million customers in 41 states. Spectrum Networks carry distinct, comprehensive, and exclusive local programming on over 30 networks across Charter’s footprint. More information on Spectrum Networks is available at spectrumlocalnews.com.

Media Contact

Claudia Claussen 

727-329-2312

Claudia.Claussen@charter.com