THE BIGGEST FACTOR FOR STREAMING VIEWERS: PRICE

Price is still the number one factor when consumers assess the value of a streaming platform, according to a recent survey by Hub Entertainment Research. It also found that viewers are less concerned with avoiding ads this year (7.7%) than in 2024 (8.8%). We may be reaching an inflection point: The study determined that people are willing to spend a maximum of $86 per month on all TV and video services; their current average spend? $83. (Hub Entertainment Research: August, 2025)

2026 POLITICAL SPENDING COULD SET A MIDTERM RECORD

With so many hotly contested campaigns coming up next year, political ad spending for next year’s midterm elections is poised to reach record levels. Through August 26, $900 million has already been spent, and total 2026 midterm advertising is projected to exceed 2022 levels by nearly $2 billion ($10.8 vs. $8.9). This would be close to the ad spend for 2024, which also had a Presidential election. Senate campaigns will represent $2.8 billion, a slight uptick versus 2024. And for the first time Congressional ad spends are expected to reach $2.2 billion—a 27% increase from 2024 and the first time that House spending will cross the $2 billion mark.  (AdvancedTV Insider: September 3, 2025)

FOOTBALL ADS SHOW OUTSIZED EFFECTIVENESS

EDO is out with its NFL Outcomes Report, and it shows that linear ads in 2024 NFL games were more effective than anything else on traditional TV. During the regular season, it’s a 19% advantage, but things really improved during the playoffs, where ads were 63% more effective than the TV average. Then, of course, there’s the Super Bowl, which showed a 243% boost. (To be fair, though, Super Bowl spots carry a premium of a lot more than 243%.) Streaming also did very well, with Netflix’s, Peacock’s, and Amazon’s NFL games all demonstrating increased effectiveness. (EDO: August, 2025)

NEW NIELSEN METHODOLOGY WILL BENEFIT SPORTS BROADCASTERS

Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel methodology, which became the industry standard on Monday, will result in higher viewership numbers for many programs. This is especially good news for live sports, which are some of the most-watched content across media. The NFL alone represented 70 of the 100 most-watched TV programs across all genres last year, and with impressions rising anywhere from 5-10%, the league’s broadcast partners can command higher unit costs next season. (Front Office Sports: September 2, 2025)

TODAY IN VIDEO HISTORY
September 4, 2002 – Kelly Clarkson Wins American Idol

Back when the monoculture was so prevalent that we didn’t even need the word “monoculture” and Nielsen still used old-school ratings, more than 22 million people tuned in to watch 20-year-old Kelly Clarkson trounce Justin Guarini to win the first season of American Idol. She’s gone on to have chart-topping albums, was a coach on The Voice, and hosts her own daytime talk show. The Kelly Clarkson Show starts its seventh season on September 29.