Unclear How Pandemic Changes TV Viewing Long Term: CBS Analytics Chief

TV viewing has changed in the COVID-19 pandemic, and it isn’t clear which of those changes will persist, said CBS Chief Research and Analytics Officer Radha Subramanyam during a virtual Q&A Tuesday for the NAB Show New York. TV viewing in general and daytime viewing increased as people work from home and generally stay closer to home, Subramanyam said, and there's increased viewing later in the morning as home workers tend to sleep later. Viewership numbers decreased in summer and started to go back up with the cooler weather and the return of sports, she said. “Some things may be cyclical.” Higher than usual news consumption began before the pandemic, and has been fed by racial unrest and the presidential election, she said. With some pollsters predicting the results could drag on past Election Day, heightened news consumption could continue as well, she said.