Court TV viewing peaked April 20 between 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET – during which time the verdicts were read – at 402K viewers 2+. Court TV was ranked in the top 15 ahead of such networks as ID, ESPN, TBS, TNT, FX, Discovery Channel and 100 others in viewers 2+ when compared with ad-supported cable networks 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET April 20.
April 20 was the most-watched day since Court TV was rebooted in May 2019 with increases as high as +10 times the pre-Chauvin trial time period average. The network’s trial coverage itself was up more than +330 percent.
In terms of streaming viewing, Court TV was up more than 20 times for the trial and more than 40 times for the verdict versus the pre-trial average.
Court TV officials worked with Hennepin County court officials in Minnesota for months to ensure that cameras would be allowed in the courtroom and that all viewers would have full access to the proceedings.
Forty-six-year-old African American George Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Footage showing Minneapolis police officer Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck while three police colleagues looked on, went viral on social media and sparked a global movement protesting against police brutality and racism. Chauvin was tried separately and was found guilty on all charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers, charged with aiding and abetting murder, will be tried later this year; Court TV will air the trial.
Court TV, the popular multi-platform network devoted to live, gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth legal reporting and expert analysis of the nation’s most important and compelling trials, is available to be seen over-the-air, over-the-top and on cable. Court TV is also live-streamed on CourtTV.com, YouTube TV, Pluto TV, SiriusXM, as well as the Court TV app for Roku®, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android and Apple devices. Court TV is part of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP).