2023 Wrapped

This will be the last post on the site for 2023, so as I do each year, I wanted to highlight what was accomplished in 2023 and where things are going in 2024.

Needless to say, the Nielsen Pocketpieces really were the focus of this year. I'd always wanted to get more into the historical ratings data and newspaper scans were able to sustain that for a bit, but once we get back to the late 70s, the data just wasn't really published in any comprehensive way. The Pocketpieces were truly the only comprehensive publication of TV audience data in this era, and luckily through a combination of library holdings and personal collections, a nearly complete collection of the Pocketpieces was available to be scanned.

Weekly Nielsen Ratings: 1966-67 TV Season

Below is a collection of scans of the Nielsen pocketpieces covering the the 1966-67 TV season. It features the complete primetime broadcast Nielsen ratings for all programs airing from August 29, 1966 through April 16, 1967. The week of Dec. 19-25, 1966 was a black week and not measured by Nielsen. I do not currently have any scans for the summer portion of the season. The grids report both the "Total Audience" and the "Average Audience" but Average Audience is the standard Nielsen metric that should be used.

Nielsen Fast Weekly Household Report: April 21 - 27, 1986

Below is a Nielsen Fast Weekly Household Report (FWH) covering the week between the 2nd April 1986 and 1st May 1986 Pocketpiece. Nielsen's Pocketpiece reports only covered 48 weeks out of the year, so there are 4 weeks in which only the FWH report was released. They include an alphabetical list of most programs that aired and and their HH rating information.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: April 1986 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of April 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending April 13, 1986 and April 20, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: April 1986 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of April 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending March 30, 1986 and April 6, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

NFL Thanksgiving Ratings (1977-present)

Below are the Nielsen ratings for every NFL Thanksgiving game back to 1977. For all games there are 4 metrics available: HH rating, total number of HHs, P18-49 rating, and total viewers. All data prior to 1991 comes from the Nielsen Pocketpieces and as more Pocketpieces are scanned, additional data will be added for older years.

The 1979 Oilers/Cowboys game holds the record for the highest-rated (25.4 HH rating) and most-watched (44.36 million) NFL Thanksgiving game since 1977 (and potentially all-time) while the 2022 Giants/Cowboys game is the most-watched in the Nielsen people-meter era (post-1987) with 42.06 million.

World Series Ratings (1968-2023)

UPDATED DECEMBER 2023 WITH DEMO DATA FOR 1977 WORLD SERIES AND 1987 WORLD SERIES GAMES 3-7 (previously missing Pocketpiece for October 19-25, 1987 has been found)

Below are the Nielsen ratings for the last 55 World Series match-ups. From 1991 to present, game-by-game data is provided for the following metrics: local markets, household (HH) ratings, A18-49, A18-34, M18-49, M18-34, median age, and total viewers. Local market ratings for both of the competing teams are provided for most games though there are a few missing.

From 1977 through 1990 local market data and median age is not available, but HH rating, P18-49, P18-34, M18-49, M18-34, and total viewers is available and comes from the Nielsen Pocketpieces. There is unfortunately no persons-level data available for Game 7 of the 1986 World Series as it aired in a ratings-only week (it wasn't supposed to be, but the USPS lost the demographic data as it was being mailed to create the Pocketpieces).

Nielsen Pocketpiece: March 1986 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of March 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending March 16, 1986 and March 23, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: March 1986 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of March 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending March 2, 1986 and March 9, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: February 1986 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of February 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending Februry 16, 1986 and February 23, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: February 1986 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of February 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending Februry 2, 1986 and February 9, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Weekly Nielsen Ratings: 1965-66 TV Season

Below is a collection of scans of the Nielsen pocketpieces covering the the 1965-66 TV season. It features the complete primetime broadcast Nielsen ratings for all programs airing from August 30, 1965 through April 17, 1966. The week of Dec. 20-26, 1965 was a black week and not measured by Nielsen. I do not currently have any scans for the summer portion of the season. The grids report both the "Total Audience" and the "Average Audience" but Average Audience is the standard Nielsen metric that should be used.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: January 1986 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of January 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending January 19, 1986 and January 26, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: January 1986 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of January 1986. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending January 5, 1986 and January 12, 1986. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Top Streaming (SVOD) Ratings: Week Ending November 26, 2023

Below are the weekly streaming/video-on-demand (SVOD) ratings for the week ending November 26, 2023. The chart below includes the top 10 original programs, top 10 movies, and top 10 acquired programs from Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ measured on total minutes of watch-time. The data represents only viewing within the U.S. and comes from Nielsen Media Research.

Top Streaming (SVOD) Ratings: Week Ending November 19, 2023

Below are the weekly streaming/video-on-demand (SVOD) ratings for the week ending November 19, 2023. The chart below includes the top 10 original programs, top 10 movies, and top 10 acquired programs from Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ measured on total minutes of watch-time. The data represents only viewing within the U.S. and comes from Nielsen Media Research.

Top Streaming (SVOD) Ratings: Week Ending November 12, 2023

Below are the weekly streaming/video-on-demand (SVOD) ratings for the week ending November 12, 2023. The chart below includes the top 10 original programs, top 10 movies, and top 10 acquired programs from Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ measured on total minutes of watch-time. The data represents only viewing within the U.S. and comes from Nielsen Media Research.

Nielsen Fast Weekly Household Report: December 23 - 29, 1985

Below is a Nielsen Fast Weekly Household Report (FWH) covering the week between the 2nd December 1985 and 1st January 1986 Pocketpiece. Nielsen's Pocketpiece reports only covered 48 weeks out of the year, so there are 4 weeks in which only the FWH report was released. They include an alphabetical list of most programs that aired and and their HH rating information.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: December 1985 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of December 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending December 15, 1985 and December 22, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: December 1985 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of December 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending December 1, 1985 and December 8, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: November 1985 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of November 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending November 17, 1985 and November 24, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: November 1985 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of November 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending November 3, 1985 and November 10, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: October 1985 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of October 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending October 20, 1985 and October 27, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: October 1985 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of October 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending October 6, 1985 and October 13, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: September 1985 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of September 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending September 22, 1985 and September 29, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Top Streaming (SVOD) Ratings: Week Ending November 5, 2023

Below are the weekly streaming/video-on-demand (SVOD) ratings for the week ending November 5, 2023. The chart below includes the top 10 original programs, top 10 movies, and top 10 acquired programs from Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ measured on total minutes of watch-time. The data represents only viewing within the U.S. and comes from Nielsen Media Research.

Top Streaming (SVOD) Ratings: Week Ending October 29, 2023

Below are the weekly streaming/video-on-demand (SVOD) ratings for the week ending October 29, 2023. The chart below includes the top 10 original programs, top 10 movies, and top 10 acquired programs from Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ measured on total minutes of watch-time. The data represents only viewing within the U.S. and comes from Nielsen Media Research.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: September 1985 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of September 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending September 8, 1985 and September 15, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Fast Weekly Household Report: August 26 - September 1, 1985

Below is a Nielsen Fast Weekly Household Report (FWH) covering the week between the 2nd August 1985 and 1st September 1985 Pocketpiece. Nielsen's Pocketpiece reports only covered 48 weeks out of the year, so there are 4 weeks in which only the FWH report was released. They include an alphabetical list of most programs that aired and and their HH rating information.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: August 1985 - 2nd Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 2nd half of August 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending August 18, 1985 and August 25, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.

Nielsen Pocketpiece: August 1985 - 1st Report

Below is a full Nielsen pocketpiece covering the 1st half of August 1985. It features the complete Nielsen ratings for all television programs airing in the weeks ending August 4, 1985 and August 11, 1985. The first half of the report includes a full alphabetical list of all programs that aired and their two-week average HH rating/impression. The second half of the report provides HH ratings information for individual telecasts each day.