According to Nielsen's latest "The Gauge" report, television viewing in the United States experienced a significant boost in October. This surge was largely attributed to the popularity of National Football League (NFL) programming, which benefited both broadcast and streaming platforms.
The report, which monitors total TV and streaming consumption via television screens, revealed that broadcast television witnessed a 4.3% increase from September, capturing 22.9% of total viewing. This represents broadcast TV’s largest share since November 2024. "While sports viewing on broadcast declined 6.4% compared to September, NFL games continued to attract large audiences," according to Nielsen data.
The top three overall broadcasts aired on CBS, Fox, and NBC, each attracting over 20 million viewers in live-plus-seven ratings. The shift in viewership was particularly noticeable on Sundays, where broadcast TV's share jumped to 27.3%, a 5.3 percentage point increase from its 22.0% average between Monday and Saturday. Conversely, streaming and cable shares declined on Sundays, falling to 44.6% and 20.0%, respectively.
Streaming platforms also experienced gains, especially those airing NFL games. Peacock's viewing share rose 19% in October, representing 1.6% of total TV and climbing to 2.0% on Sundays. Paramount+ saw an 8% month-over-month increase, growing from 1.2% Monday-Saturday to 1.6% on Sundays. Amazon Prime Video, the home of "Thursday Night Football," reached 6.4% of all TV viewing on game days, exceeding its monthly average by 3 points. Overall, streaming usage increased by 2.4% from September, accounting for 45.7% of television time.
Netflix, while not carrying NFL games, saw gains in Sunday share with its original series "Monster: The Ed Gein Story." The title was the month's most-streamed program, with 5.4 billion minutes viewed. Netflix reached 8.0% of total TV in October, climbing to 8.2% on Sundays. "Broadcast dramas also contributed to October’s rise in viewership," Nielsen reported.
Popular shows such as "Tracker," "Matlock," and "NCIS" on CBS, "High Potential" on ABC, and "Chicago Fire" on NBC contributed to a 28% increase in the drama category compared to September. Cable viewing increased by 1.2% over the previous month, ending at 22.2% of total TV, a slight decline due to rounding. Cable sports viewership rose nearly 50% in October, accounting for 14% of total cable viewing. Feature film viewing increased by 7% due to Halloween programming, while cable news maintained the largest share within the category despite a 3% drop. The October 2025 reporting period covered the four weeks between Sept. 29 and Oct. 26, aligning with the broadcast calendar.