• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, August 18, 2016

Traditional TV networks continue to work all advertising angles. One of those angles flying somewhat under the radar is the “co-viewing” of parents and kids.

New results on NBC’s Olympics programming shows it to be one of those places where co-viewing continues to be high.

Twenty-six percent of viewing of current Rio Olympics is co-viewed -- 50% higher than other TV programming, according to TVision Insights. All that is important to TV advertisers.

For years, Nickelodeon has touted its co-viewing stats, as have other networks like  Scripps Network’s Food Network.

Earlier this year at its upfront presentation, Scripps launched a number of new programs including kids’ cooking shows. “Kids Baking Championship” and “Chopped Jr.” are two shows contributing most to  co-viewing, with over 60% of those ages 2-17 watching with an adult aged 25-54, according to a Forbes article.

Others believe family TV viewing in general has been undervalued -- that more people in a room watching increases attention for programming and for advertising.  

No doubt we see this big time when it come to the Super Bowl, the highest-rated co-viewed TV program of the year. This is when many people are not only focused on TV commercials but discussed them in real time. That spells big time engagement, as well as brand recall.

All this, of course, is amplified when it comes to live TV programming -- especially sports programming -- versus scripted TV shows and unscripted reality TV shows.

But what of specific co-viewing groups? Trouble is, in this growing digital world all millennials have their own smartphone. They may be in the same room as their parents, but actual co-viewing of one screen is difficult to pin down.

The future of co-viewing? Trying to find new high-rated TV co-viewed programming beyond live sports events, or live holiday “musical” programming will no doubt become increasingly harder.