Three Ways Disney Won in the 2024 Television Ratings
The Hollywood Reporter released its rundown of 2024’s television ratings, and once again, Disney dominated the media landscape.
Once upon a time, determining a ratings hit was a largely straightforward affair. All analysts had to do was measure the number of people who tuned in to a given program.
Television shows lived and died for decades depending on how they fared against their linear peers.
Photo:Ivan Marc / Shutterstock.com
These days, things are a bit more complicated.
What Is a Hit?
For starters, streaming services are traditionally not forthcoming with viewership data unless it will result in publicity. On top of that, with the advent of streaming, video on demand, and the continued use of DVRs, viewership data can radically change over time. Analysts can no longer look at premiere viewership numbers as the end-all-be-all.
Photo:Ivan Marc / Shutterstock.com
While the days of knowing that 105.9 million people tuned in to watch the final episode of M*A*S*H are long gone, from 10,000 feet, we can still get a pretty good look at the media landscape.
With that in mind, here are three ways that Disney won in 2024.
Win #1: Original Series on Hulu
Hulu was one of the big winners in 2024 with Only Murders in the Building and The Bear among the most-watched original series in 2024. Both series are long established at this point with The Bear debuting its third season in 2024 and Only Murders in the Building wrapping up Season 4.
Photo: Hulu
Critical darlings, both Only Murders and The Bear have continued to deliver high ratings and provided a draw for audiences to subscribe to Hulu.
Photo: Hulu
If you add in the massive success of Shogun, it was a banner year for Hulu.
Win #2: Live Sports on ESPN
In an ever-changing media environment, live sports have proven time and time again to be king.
As we have written extensively, ESPN had a banner year, with record-breaking ratings across its WNBA, women’s college basketball, NCAA football, and NFL presentations.
Photo: Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAYSports/NPSTrans/troppic
Perhaps most impressively, according to the Hollywood Reporter report, ABC’s Saturday Night Football will end the season with the most audience growth of any primetime network after ESPN’s new deal with the SEC went into effect.
Image Credit: ESPN
The SEC Saturday Night Football primetime games averaged almost 8 million viewers this year, up 80% from ABC’s 2023 college football broadcasts.
Win #3: ‘Bluey’ Reigns Supreme
It is almost impossible to state just how popular Bluey is.
The Disney+ smash hit racked up 50 billion minutes of streaming. That not only made Bluey the most streamed show of 2024, but it also means that 95,000 YEARS of the series were streamed.
Photo: Disney
Looking ahead to 2025, Disney plans to lean even more heavily into Bluey. A feature film based on the series is now in the works, and the Heeler is set to debut in the Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line. There have also been hints that more episodes of the flagship show are in the works.
Photo: Bluey.tv
While Disney continues to face challenges as the television landscape changes, the company has shown remarkable flexibility. As 2024 showed, Disney found success outside of its traditional avenues. Without a major Marvel, Star Wars, or ABC hit, Disney still delivered. They should have every reason to be excited.
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