Year Viewership
2007 8,685,000
2008 8,530,000
2009* 8,219,000
2010 8,270,000
2011 8,130,000
2012 7,970,000
2013 8,386,000
2014 9,058,000
2015 8,637,000

 

* In 2009, local television audiences were measured in March rather than February because of the scheduled transition to digital television. Therefore, the 2009 average includes March instead of the traditional February sweep.
Note: Numbers represent ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates for the four sweeps – February, May, July and November. Viewership corresponds to the average of quarter-hour audience per time slot for each network.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of Nielsen Media Research, used under license.
“State of the News Media 2016”