Get ready for installment number four of this six-parter following the broadcast audience to their cable channels of choice. Today we tap into the massive database of Prosper Insights and Analytics to discover just where the middle audiences are going. We think you’ll find the information both fascinating and useful.
Included in this study are the top 30 basic cable offerings for the overall 18+ operation, followed by every channel that has the support of at least 20% of a given format group.
Here’s what you’ll get: Age, male and female breakdowns for each television program type, the percentage that subscribe to pay cable, and the identity of their destination channels.
We also show the popular channels your audience does not watch to the same degree, and take a look at which niche channels have audience support.
Why is this useful?
For starters, anything that provides insight into your audience is worth knowing for its own sake. Tastes in cable programming can inform the decisions of programmers and talent at your television station.
But what we would do is turn this information over to our sales department. If your audience is widely tuned in to a given cable channel, then the advertisers on that cable channel may do very well putting their message on your station.
We would watch key channels with fervor, keep track of which companies are buying time there and then put that information to good use.
Today’s audiences include Cooking, Documentary, Sports, Drama, Religious and Talk. We have already studied the favorite of young and middle-aged radio fans and young TV fans. Coming during the following weeks, both older groups.
Adults 18+
45.5: Age
48.5%: Male
51.5%: Female
14.8%: Pay Cable
Here’s you baseline – the top 30 cable selections of the overall population. As we work through different program categories, a number of channels that didn’t make the cut for this list will make an appearance.
Channel rankings
36.2%: Discovery Channel (1)
35.7%: TNT (2)
33.4%: ESPN (3)
33.0%: USA (4)
32.0%: A & E (5)
31.8%: TBS (6)
31.5%: Food Network (7)
28.2%: The History Channel (8)
25.5%: Lifetime (9)
25.1%: AMC (10)
23.9%: CNN (11)
23.8%: ABC Family (12)
23.7%: FOX News Channel (13)
22.3%: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14)
21.9%: Comedy Central (15)
21.7%: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16)
21.1%: ESPN 2 (17)
20.2%: National Geographic Channel (18)
20.1%: FX (19)
19.8%: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
18.6%: Animal Planet (21t)
18.6%: The Weather Channel (21t)
17.4%: Bravo (23)
17.1%: Spike TV (24)
16.6%: Cartoon Network (25)
16.5%: Hallmark Channel (26)
15.4%: FOX Sports Network (27)
15.2%: Disney Channel (28)
14.8%: E! (29)
13.0%: truTV (30)
Source: Prosper Insights and Analytics
Cooking
45.0: Age
37.6%: Male
62.4%: Female
20.0%: Pay Cable
We’ll give you one guess where you can find this audience most frequently – almost 80% gravitate to the Food Network. HGTV also does exceptionally well. The female tilt of the audience is evident in its channel preferences, which in general are wide-ranging.
Out of the top 20: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16), FX (19), ESPN 2 (17)
Looking deep: TV Land, LMN, BET, Oxygen, VH1, DIY, OWN, WE, Discovery Fit & Health all do well.
78.5%: Food Network (7)
46.8%: Discovery Channel (1)
41.5%: A & E (5)
41.3%: TNT (2)
39.2%: USA (4)
38.6%: TBS (6)
36.3%: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
35.8%: Lifetime (9)
35.2%: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14)
34.2%: ESPN (3)
34.2%: The History Channel (8)
31.6%: ABC Family (12)
30.7%: Bravo (23)
29.8%: AMC (10)
29.8%: CNN (11)
27.3%: Comedy Central (15)
26.8%: FOX News Channel (13)
26.8%: National Geographic Channel (18)
26.3%: Animal Planet (21t)
25.4%: The Weather Channel (21t)
25.3%: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16)
24.3%: Travel Channel (35)
23.5%: E! (29)
23.3%: FX (19)
22.8%: Hallmark Channel (26)
22.3%: Cartoon Network (25)
22.1%: ESPN 2 (17)
21.2%: Spike TV (24)
21.1%: Disney Channel (28)
Source: Prosper Insights and Analytics
Documentary
45.8: Age
57.8%: Male
42.2%: Female
21.6%: Pay Cable
This group places Discovery #1 just like the overall population, but it is full of true believers in the channel – two thirds are viewers, almost. History, A&E, National Geographic, A&E, even Animal Planet – this group eats this stuff for breakfast and comes back throughout the day. News and sports also do well.
Out of the top 20: FX (19), ABC Family (12), HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
Looking deep: TV Land, Oxygen, CNBC, BBC America (very high at 19.3%), DIY, OWN, ESPN Classic, OFC, SPEED, Discovery Fit & Health, Outdoor and C-SPAN all do well.
64.0%: Discovery Channel (1)
55.1%: The History Channel (8)
49.9%: A & E (5)
45.0%: National Geographic Channel (18)
42.3%: TNT (2)
41.1%: Food Network (7)
39.2%: ESPN (3)
38.6%: TBS (6)
37.9%: CNN (11)
37.3%: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14)
37.2%: USA (4)
35.9%: AMC (10)
35.1%: Animal Planet (21t)
32.2%: FOX News Channel (13)
31.36%: Comedy Central (15)
31.0%: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16)
28.6%: Lifetime (9)
28.0%: The Weather Channel (21t)
26.3%: Spike TV (24)
26.1%: ESPN 2 (17)
25.7%: FX (19)
25.4%: Bravo (23)
25.3%: ABC Family (12)
24.9%: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
24.8%: Travel Channel (35)
23.6%: Cartoon Network (25)
22.6%: MSNBC (31t)
21.2%: truTV (30)
21.1%: CNN Headline News (HLN) (37t)
21.0%: TCM (Turner Classic Movies) (34)
20.3%: E! (29)
Source: Prosper Insights and Analytics
Sports
46.6: Age
68.3%: Male
31.7%: Female
20.1%: Pay Cable
The laser-like focus on sports for this heavily-male audience puts the squeeze on available viewing time and produces a very short channel list. ESPN comes in first AND second with this group, and other sports channels are elevated. Frankly, we were surprised to see Lifetime remain in the top 20.
Out of the top 20: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14), ABC Family (12), HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
Looking deep: NBC Sports just missed at 19.3%; other strong channels include ESPN Classic, SPEED and Golf.
74.2%: ESPN (3)
51.3%: ESPN 2 (17)
48.0%: TNT (2)
43.7%: Discovery Channel (1)
41.3%: TBS (6)
40.8%: USA (4)
36.7%: A & E (5)
36.4%: The History Channel (8)
36.0%: FOX Sports Network (27)
33.8%: Food Network (7)
31.5%: CNN (11)
29.6%: FOX News Channel (13)
29.5%: AMC (10)
28.1%: Comedy Central (15)
26.2%: National Geographic Channel (18)
25.3%: FX (19)
24.6%: The Weather Channel (21t)
24.2%: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16)
24.2%: Spike TV (24)
23.2%: Lifetime (9)
22.6%: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14)
21.8%: ABC Family (12)
20.8%: Animal Planet (21t)
20.3%: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
Source: Prosper Insights and Analytics
Drama Shows
47.2: Age
37.5%: Male
62.5%: Female
20.7%: Pay Cable
Discovery is banished from the top of the list in favor of channels where there is a better chance of finding some scripted entertainment. Interest in news, docs and sports is depressed, and in general, the list of popular channel destinations is short.
Out of the top 20: National Geographic Channel (18), ESPN 2 (17)
Looking deep: TV Land, TCM, LMN, ION, Oxygen and WE all have elevated interest.
49.8%: TNT (2)
47.9%: USA (4)
40.8%: A & E (5)
40.5%: TBS (6)
38.4%: Discovery Channel (1)
37.5%: Lifetime (9)
36.7%: Food Network (7)
33.0%: ESPN (3)
31.1%: AMC (10)
30.6%: The History Channel (8)
29.7%: ABC Family (12)
27.8%: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14)
26.8%: CNN (11)
26.7%: FX (19)
25.7%: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16)
25.1%: Bravo (23)
24.1%: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
23.7%: Comedy Central (15)
23.5%: FOX News Channel (13)
23.1%: Hallmark Channel (26)
21.7%: National Geographic Channel (18)
20.7%: ESPN 2 (17)
20.2%: The Weather Channel (21t)
20.0%: Animal Planet (21t)
20.0%: E! (29)
Source: Prosper Insights and Analytics
Religious
47.2: Age
45.6%: Male
54.4%: Female
13.9%: Pay Cable
Pay cable is not big with this group, but basic cable sure is. And the channel lineup is diverse and unique. Lifetime surges to the top of the list, and Fox News is right up there with it. At the same time, BET is popular.
Out of the top 20: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20), National Geographic Channel (18), Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16), FX (19), ESPN 2 (17), Comedy Central (15)
Looking deep: MSNBC, MTV, Travel, ION, VH1, WGN, ESPN Classic, SPEED, WE, Golf, G4, GSN, Nick Toons, Centric, TeenNick, C-SPAN, Bloomberg, VH1 Soul, Great American Country, MTV Tr3s – you’d be hard pressed to find a longer and more divers list.
45.1%: Lifetime (9)
44.6%: FOX News Channel (13)
43.4%: A & E (5)
42.8%: TNT (2)
41.1%: ABC Family (12)
40.9%: TBS (6)
39.6%: CNN (11)
39.3%: Discovery Channel (1)
37.7%: USA (4)
37.7%: Food Network (7)
35.8%: Hallmark Channel (26)
35.1%: AMC (10)
33.7%: The History Channel (8)
33.6%: BET (40t)
33.2%: ESPN (3)
32.4%: The Weather Channel (21t)
29.0%: Animal Planet (21t)
28.4%: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14)
29.0%: Bravo (23)
27.0%: TV Land (31t)
25.8%: Cartoon Network (25)
25.7%: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
25.6%: National Geographic Channel (18)
25.4%: LMN (Lifetime Movie Network) (37t)
25.1%: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16)
24.6%: Disney Channel (28)
23.2%: FX (19)
23.2%: FOX Sports Network (27)
23.0%: ESPN 2 (17)
23.0%: OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) (46)
22.4%: Oxygen (40t)
22.1%: Comedy Central (15)
21.6%: TCM (Turner Classic Movies) (34)
21.5%: CNBC (42)
21.3%: CNN Headline News (HLN) (37t)
20.4%: Nickelodeon (36)
20.4%: Spike TV (24)
Source: Prosper Insights and Analytics
Talk Shows
47.3: Age
42.3%: Male
57.7%: Female
20.9%: Pay Cable
This is another cable-loving audience; it pulls four channels ranked #40 or lower onto its list of commonly-watched channels. In general, channels catering to the female side of the gender divide are elevated.
Out of the top 20: National Geographic Channel (18), Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16), The History Channel (8)
Looking deep: Spike, Cartoon, CNN Headline, Disney just barely missed the 20% threshold; a lot of channels have elevated viewing, and among those that are way up are LMN, CNBC, CMT, Nick @ Nite, WE, IFC, GSN, Discovery Fit & Health, Soapnet and Style (almost triple the 18+ viewing rate)
43.9%: TNT (2)
41.5%: TBS (6)
41.0%: Lifetime (9)
40.0%: USA (4)
39.9%: A & E (5)
39.2%: Discovery Channel (1)
39.0%: ESPN (3)
38.5%: CNN (11)
37.9%: Food Network (7)
33.5%: FOX News Channel (13)
32.0%: ABC Family (12)
29.9%: Bravo (23)
29.2%: TLC (The Learning Channel) (14)
28.6%: AMC (10)
27.9%: HGTV (Home & Garden Television) (20)
27.5%: Comedy Central (15)
26.5%: ESPN 2 (17)
26.5%: E! (29)
24.9%: The Weather Channel (21t)
24.7%: FX (19)
24.5%: BET (40t)
24.2%: Hallmark Channel (26)
23.5%: MSNBC (31t)
23.4%: National Geographic Channel (18)
22.7%: Animal Planet (21t)
22.5%: Syfy/Sci-Fi Channel (16)
22.1%: MTV (33)
22.0%: TV Land (31t)
21.2%: Oxygen (40t)
21.1%: FOX Sports Network (27)
21.0%: The History Channel (8)
21.0%: OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) (46)
20.3%: truTV (30)
20.1%: VH1 (43)
Source: Prosper Insights and Analytics
