Primetime ratings for the Tokyo Olympic Games were down 42% from the 2016 Games, according to data from NBCUniversal.
Why it matters: It’s an undeniable proof point that the decline of traditional television is happening faster than initially expected. It also points to the ways media diets and interests have become more polarized and divided in the digital era.
Details: In total, the Games averaged roughly 15.5 million primetime viewers across the two weeks that NBC aired the events, according to an analysis of total audience delivery measured by Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.
- That’s down from roughly 26.7 primetime viewers who tuned into the Summer Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
- While that number is high compared to all other prime-time programming in the U.S., there’s no question that it represents a significant challenge for NBCU, which has shelled out billions of dollars for rights for the Games through 2032.