MORNING HOCKEY SCORES FOR NBC
When the US men’s hockey team defeated Canada to win their first gold medal since 1980’s “Miracle on Ice,” it was also a win for NBC Universal. The network set a unique record on Sunday morning, as it was the most-watched sporting event starting before 9AM Eastern time. An average of 20.7 tuned into NBC, Peacock, and USA Network, reaching a peak of 26 million watching the game-winning overtime goal. Across the full 17 days, the Winter Olympics averaged 23.5 million viewers, close to double the 12 million for the 2022 Beijing games. (Bleacher Report: February 24, 2026)
A BIG JANUARY FOR TELEVISION
Coming off a record-setting December, television viewership hit a new 12-month high in January. It was an especially good month for cable sports, which increased by 49% versus December. Cable news also posted big gains, up 13% month over month, with CNN and Fox News increasing by 29% and 17%, respectively. Time spent watching streaming content also ticked up by nearly 3%, and streamers accounted for 47% of all TV usage. (Nielsen: February 17, 2026)
CONSUMERS STRUGGLE TO FIND SPORTS CONTENT
Live sports may be what drives viewers to their televisions, but people have a hard time finding games once they get there. A survey of 1,000 adults last month found that 45% of them “struggle” to find the channel or service that has the game they want to see. More than half say they’ve missed a game because they don’t have the network or platform that was carrying it. Twenty-seven percent say they resort to “unauthorized” broadcasts to see games, though they were savvy enough not to say what those methods are. (MediaPost: February 25, 2026)
PREMIUM VIDEO EXCELS AT CO-VIEWING
Despite YouTube having the greatest share of impressions among all video providers, when it comes to co-viewing, premium platforms lead the way. A new study from the Video Advertising Bureau shows that, on average, 60% of premium video (Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.) is co-viewed, compared to 45% for YouTube. This is meaningful to marketers, as brand recall is 23% higher for co-viewed ads. Premium platforms are also watched for longer periods and deliver more attentive viewers. Check out the report for more details (VAB: February, 2026)
TODAY IN VIDEO HISTORY
February 26, 1998 – Oprah’s beef with cattle farmers ends
An April 1996 episode of Oprah Winfrey’s daytime talk show focused on the topic of mad cow disease. During the show, Oprah said that she would never eat hamburgers again. A group of Texas cattlemen sued her for $12 million on charges of “false defamation of perishable food” and “business disparagement.” They claimed her statement tanked cattle prices, costing beef producers millions. The case raised serious legal questions about free speech and popularized the concept of “The Oprah Effect.” After a two-month trial in Amarillo, Ms. Winfrey was found not liable for damages. Watch her post-verdict comments.
