Analysis of Netflix ad-supported subscribers reveals extremely limited reach compared to local broadcast linear audiences

TVB, the trade association of America’s local broadcast television industry, today issued this statement following Netflix’s recent “Basic with Ads” audience announcement.

“Netflix’s reported audience numbers for its ad-supported tier, ‘Basic with Ads,’ are an estimated 600,000 ‘monthly active users.’ Importantly, this metric refers to subscribers, not viewers and Netflix ad-supported users pale in comparison to local linear TV viewing audiences,” said Steve Lanzano, TVB President and CEO.

“The comparison is extremely meaningful for the advertising community and brands. On a typical evening in November (11/9/22) in the New York DMA alone, Nielsen reports that 1.6 million adults 18+ were reached by local broadcast TV stations’ early news between 5PM and 6:30PM. Early news reach in the New York market was nearly triple the number of Netflix’s reported universe for its ad-supported tier.”

Nielsen currently does not break out streaming video on demand (SVOD) audiences into ad subscribers and ad-free subscribers. Only the total universe is reported. To estimate Netflix’s ad audiences, TVB applied the total Netflix rating to the reported Netflix ad subscriber base of 600,000.

The TVB estimates reveal that on the same night in November (11/9/22), Netflix’s top three programs, The Crown, Love is Blind and Enola Holmes 2 delivered 5,040; 4,440; and 1,860 adult 18+ ad viewers, respectively. When evaluating the findings, TVB also noted the following insights:

• All the local newscasts that aired in New York (DMA Rank 1) 5PM-6:30PM would out-deliver Netflix’s top three programs with ads: The Crown (5,040), Love is Blind (4,440) and Enola Holmes 2 (1,860).
  • New York evening news adults 18+ impressions for the same day and time slot included: WABC (915,191), WCBS (462,339), WNBC (282,280), WNYW (103,380) and WPIX (37,611).
• In Grand Rapids, MI (DMA 42), local news airing on NBC, CBS and FOX affiliates 5PM-6:30PM would out-deliver Netflix’s top three programs with ads: The Crown (5,040), Love is Blind (4,440) and Enola Holmes 2 (1,860).
  • Grand Rapids evening news adults 18+ impressions for the same day and time slot included: WOOD (115,734), WWMT (100,835) and WXMI (24,546).

Business Wire