Spectrum News Outperformed CNN, Fox News and MSNBC With Year-Over-Year and Month-Over-Month Ratings Increases in December

STAMFORD, Conn. – Spectrum News ended 2021 showing strong ratings increases across its 11 metered markets* in December, and solidified its rank as the most watched news network for Spectrum customers, averaging more than 2.6 million daily viewing households on its linear and digital platforms. Spectrum News recorded an average year-over-year increase in Nielsen household ratings of 7% while CNN, Fox News and MSNBC’s ratings dropped an average of 31% and the broadcast news networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, decreased an average of 2% in ratings compared to December 2020. Month-over-month, Spectrum News’ ratings increased 3% while the cable and broadcast news networks each dropped an average of 5%.

Five of the network’s 11 metered markets*, Greensboro, N.C. (20%), Buffalo, N.Y. (14%), San Antonio (10%), Charlotte, N.C. (7%) and Los Angeles (6%) had higher month-over-month Nielsen ratings growth as compared to NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox. In Buffalo, Charlotte, Cleveland (3%), Greensboro and San Antonio, Spectrum News’ month-over-month ratings growth for December outpaced that of CNN, Fox News and MSNBC.

Wall-to-wall coverage of severe weather in Kentucky, live briefings from New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on the Omicron variant in New York, and live high school sports programming in Ohio and Los Angeles drove viewership increases and engagement in December. Highlights included:

• When severe weather and tornadoes impacted Kentucky, Spectrum News 1’s coverage, which aired from 10 p.m. on December 10 through 6 a.m. on December 11, recorded viewership 74% higher as compared to the previous four-week average, peaking at 107% in the midnight to 1 a.m. hour on December 11. Over a three-day span, full-day linear viewership recorded double-digit increases of 69% (Dec. 11), 22% (Dec. 12) and 135% (Dec. 13).
• On the Spectrum News App in Kentucky, daily stream starts of the live feeds were the highest since launch: 1,685% (Dec. 11), 547% (Dec. 10) and 329% (Dec. 13). Additionally, the app recorded significant increases in unique visitors (105%) and overall time spent on the app (428%) over a four-day period between December 10-13 as compared to the previous four-week average.
• In New York, Spectrum News’ live streaming of Governor Hochul’s and Mayor de Blasio’s Covid briefings drew significant engagement on the Spectrum News App. In New York City, their respective press conferences on December 2 averaged 517% more stream starts, and users spent over 216% the amount of time on the app that day than the previous 30-day average. In Upstate New York, stream starts of the governor’s press conference on December 2 increased 828%, and time spent on the app was up 387% as compared to the previous four-week average.
• On the Spectrum News App in Ohio, Spectrum News 1’s live game coverage of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Football Championships during the week of December 1 recorded the app’s highest number of weekly users since launch and was 33% higher than the November average. In December, live streaming on the app also saw significant engagement, recording triple-digit increases for time watched (556%), stream starts (410%) and average time watched (412%) as compared to the previous four-week average.
• In California, Spectrum News 1’s live game broadcast of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division State Football Championship game on December 11 recorded a 14% increase in viewership between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. as compared to the November average on Saturdays.
• Overall, Spectrum News 1’s live game coverage of the CIF State Football Championships over the first two weekends in December averaged 8% higher viewership during the games than the averages for Fridays and Saturdays in November.  

*Nielsen metrics are based on Live+SD, Total Day household impressions in the following DMAs: Austin, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cleveland, 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 31 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

Stacey Mitch

310-531-1570

Stacey.Mitch@charter.com