Altice USA releases Optimum TV viewing data

NEW YORK — From a nail-biter World Series matchup and breathtaking Summer Olympics Games to some of the highest-rated political debates in history, 2016 provided no shortage of must-watch television. To provide insights about consumer television viewing activity Altice USA has released its first Altice USA Data Flash Review, which analyzed 2016 viewing trends of its Optimum TV customers. Altice USA Data Flash Reviews leverage the company’s Total Audience Data platform from approximately 11 million Optimum and Suddenlink household set-top boxes across a nationwide footprint*. Privacy is of utmost importance to the company, and our census-level tuning data is maintained on an aggregated, anonymous and protected basis and individual viewing information is not shared.

Altice USA is the fourth largest cable company in the U.S. and provides Optimum and Suddenlink-branded high-speed data, television and voice products and services across 20 states. It is a subsidiary of Altice N.V. (Euronext: ATC, ATCB), a leading global telecommunications, media and entertainment company.

“Optimum customers love watching television and live tune-in continues to be the most popular way they choose to access their favorite content,” said Paul Haddad, Global Chief Data Officer for Altice. “We have also seen customers take advantage of options to watch programming on their own terms, with viewing up substantially on our DVR platform. With deep insights into the viewing trends of our Optimum customers, Altice USA is able to constantly innovate and prioritize new features and services that align with consumers’ preferences and demands.”

In 2016, Optimum TV subscribers throughout the New York tri-state area were once again heavy live TV viewers, with households tuning in more than eight hours per day while also spending over an hour daily viewing time-shifted content, with DVR being the most preferred tuning mode.

• Overall in 2016, the most popular ways to watch TV included live viewing with 91.9% of viewing, DVR representing 4.9% and VOD comprising 2.7%.
• Compared to 2015, DVR-based viewing by Optimum customers rose more than 9 percent to an average of 1 hour and 47 minutes per day, representing the most popular time-shifted or on-demand viewing method.
• Hours spent viewing VOD content remained unchanged at just over 90 minutes per day.

Additional interesting trends and shifts relative to 2015 live TV viewing patterns were uncovered:

• News programming tune-in increased more than 4% over 2015, with viewership of political-focused programming increasing by 88% over last year.
• Hours spent tuned to sports programming fell 4% compared to 2015.

“Altice USA brings deep experience in industry-leading utilization of customer viewing data that helps our programming and brand partners more effectively and efficiently reach the right audiences in the right places,” said Haddad. “As viewing habits continue to evolve across the platforms Altice USA remains committed to supporting advanced ad delivery capabilities that meet changing campaign objectives.”

* This Altice USA Data Flash Report highlighting 2016 Optimum TV viewing trends does not include Suddenlink tune-in analysis.