Despite US TV viewership’s spike amid the Covid-19 pandemic, a recent report from Emarketer suggests that once stay-at-home restrictions are lifted, the numbers will decline back to pre-Covid levels. “Consumers will undoubtedly be fixated on their TVs more in 2020 due to stay-at-home orders, continued interest in up-to-date news on the pandemic and increasingly, more leisure time due to increasing unemployment rates,” said Emarketer Forecasting Analyst Oscar Orozco.
In 2020, the number of traditional TV viewers will increase by 8.3 million to 287.3 million. It’s the first time since 2011 that first time viewership receives positive growth. All age groups have driven the increase, though older viewers are contributing the most. The total general viewership will fall again in 2021.
More people are spending more time watching TV, driving an increase from 19 minutes to 2 hours, 46 minutes per day this year. This is the first time since 2012 traditional TV consumption will grow, in contrast to the research firm's previous forecast from Q4 2019, which expected TV time to decline this year to 2 hours, 20 minutes.
The 2020 boost will last beyond the pandemic, and TV time is projected to continue its downward trajectory. By the end of 2021, the firm projects that daily TV time among Americans will decline by 8 minutes to 2 hours, 38 minutes per day, which will be higher than previously predicted.
Consumers will undoubtedly be fixated on their TVs more in 2020 due to stay-at-home orders, continued interest in up-to-date news on the pandemic and increasingly, more leisure time due to increasing unemployment rates.” Oscar Orozco Emarketer Forecasting Analyst
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