In January 2026, Disney achieved its strongest monthly performance in a year in Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge, surging 1.2 share points to capture 11.9% of total U.S. television viewing—nearly matching its record high of 12.0% from January 2025 and closing to within 0.6 points of leader YouTube's 12.5%.
TV viewing overall reached a 12-month high during the month.
Disney's gains were primarily driven by massive sports boosts:
- ESPN viewing exploded 82% month-over-month, fueled by the College Football Playoffs and Championship games, contributing nearly a full share point to the company's total.
- ABC affiliates added 10% in viewing, powered by NFL games, the Citrus Bowl, returning broadcast dramas, and seasonal events including New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and The Rose Bowl Parade. High Potential and ABC World News Tonight ranked as the top broadcast programs in their genres.
Netflix held the No. 3 spot with 8.8% of TV usage, up slightly (+1%) overall. Its series Stranger Things topped streaming programs for the second consecutive month.
A&E advanced one ranking spot as combined viewership rose 8% (+0.1 point), driven by FYI (+46%) and Lifetime (+14%).
*Note: Versant completed its spin-off of NBCUniversal cable networks in early January 2026, but advertising sales remain handled by NBCU. For trend consistency, NBCU and Versant are reported combined in the Gauge, with individual shares noted in the chart.