Altice releases TV usage data: Live viewing was flat at 92% in 2016, operator says

Releasing data collected from its network of Optimum set-top boxes, Altice USA said live viewing held “steady” in 2016 at 92% of all TV watching.

The high rate of live, linear TV viewing was largely flat, the operator said, despite the fact that DVR use rose 9% last year. 

Overall, DVR usage accounted for 4.9% of viewing, while VOD consumption accounted for 2.7%.

Households averaged more than eight hours of TV “tuning” per day in 2016, consistent with 2015, Altice also said.

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Altice, which culled the data from 2.6 million Optimum set-tops operating in the New York Tri-State area of the erstwhile Cablevision’s footprint, published its findings in what it calls its very first “Data Flash Review.”

Altice also said viewing of politically-focused programming rose 88% last year (a “duh” probably belongs there), while consumptions of sports programming fell by 4%. 

“We have also seen customers take advantage of options to watch programming on their own terms, with viewing up substantially on our DVR platform,” said Paul Haddad, global chief data officer for Altice, in a statement. 

“With deep insights into the viewing trends of our Optimum customers, Altice USA is able to constantly innovate and prioritize new features and services that align with consumers’ preferences and demands,” he added.