Prime-time viewing on the big four broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC—has fallen sharply over the last decade, based on comparisons between Variety’s 2015–2016 season averages and its 2025 year-end figures. The drop is measured in millions of viewers per night and highlights how much scheduled, live prime-time has weakened as audiences shift to on-demand options.
By the numbers, CBS averaged 10.91 million viewers in 2015–2016 versus about 4.4 million in 2025. NBC went from 8.11 million to roughly 4.2 million. ABC declined from 6.82 million to around 4.0 million. FOX dropped from 5.78 million to about 3.1 million.
Even with the decline, CBS still led the broadcast pack in 2025 prime time, narrowly ahead of NBC. ABC and FOX trailed, though the 2025 snapshot also suggested that performance inside the smaller totals can vary: commentary around the data pointed to ABC getting a lift from refreshed offerings and marketing, while FOX was credited with momentum tied to programming choices and sports-related audience flow.
The larger story is the consumption shift. More viewing time has moved away from fixed nightly schedules toward streaming libraries, network apps, and video-on-demand services where audiences watch when they want, on the screen they want. That change pressures legacy prime-time strategies, because the “appointment viewing” habit that once built huge nightly averages is increasingly replaced by delayed or on-demand playback.