EMMY AWARDS SET FOUR-YEAR RATINGS HIGH

The biggest winner at last Sunday’s Emmy Awards may have been Paramount Global, as CBS’s telecast and the Paramount+ stream brought in 7.4 million viewers, according to preliminary figures from Nielsen. That’s an eight-percent increase from last year’s coverage on ABC and marks the ceremony’s highest viewership since 2021, when just over 7.8 million tuned in. It’s also the first time since 2012/2013 that the Emmys saw back-to-back ratings gains (coincidentally on ABC and CBS then, too). Final figures will take a little longer than usual, as more time is needed for the new Big Data + Panel measurement system. (Hollywood Reporter: September 15, 2025)

AD-SUPPORTED CONTENT DOMINATES TV VIEWING TIME

Ad-supported television accounted for nearly three-quarters of TV viewing in August, per Nielsen’s monthly “The Gauge” report. Traditional TV contributed to most of that, with Broadcast and Cable making up 55% of time spent viewing. Americans spend more time watching traditional TV than subscription OTT, and they have a strong preference for ad-supported options when it comes to streaming. (Nielsen: September 2025)

VIDEO IS STILL MARKETERS’ MOST VALUED TACTIC

Another report has more good news for video advertising. A recent Teads/MMA survey of over 100 senior brands and agency marketers found that 48% cite video as their most essential tactic. This is particularly the case within the manufacturing (64%), financial services (59%), and retail (58%) sectors. Showing their continued faith in the medium, over 90% of those surveyed intend to maintain or increase their video investments in the coming year. Not that there isn’t room for improvement, though: half of the respondents have issues with cross-screen measurement, and nearly as many find it difficult to quantify video ads’ effect on business outcomes. (Teads & MMA Global: September 16, 2025)

FAST NEWS CHANNELS – A GROWING YOUTH OPTION

It’s well-known that younger viewers have led the shift away from traditional TV toward streaming. What might surprise you is that many of them are turning to FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV) channels as a no-cost alternative to paid streaming. This is most apparent when it comes to TV news. National networks like NBC (NBC News Now), ABC (ABC News Live), CBS (CBS News 24/7), and Fox (LiveNOW) offer news-only FAST channels. So do CNN (CNN Headline) and many of the local affiliates and O&Os. Younger demos appreciate the channels’ simpler and more informal approach, and the snack-size length of many of the stories leans into the TikTok generation’s preferred format. As internet-connected TVs and platforms like Pluto TV and Roku become the norm, these channels are becoming easier to find. Approximately 117 million consumers watch FAST channels, a figure that is projected to hit 130 million by decade’s end. (Los Angeles Times: September 16, 2025)

THIS WEEK IN VIDEO HISTORY
September 19, 1994 – ER Scrubs In

ER began as a 1974 Michael Crichton screenplay that generated little interest and was forgotten until the 1990s. That’s when Crichton’s Jurassic Park colleague Steven Spielberg saw its potential as a TV pilot instead of a standalone film. Spielberg’s instincts were right; the show lasted for 15 seasons and 331 episodes, making stars of its cast and serving as the 10 pm anchor to NBC’s juggernaut “Must See TV” Thursday-night lineup. You can watch the first scene of the first episode here and the final scene of the last episode here. You know, in case you don’t have time to binge 300+ episodes.