Streaming from YouTube, it’s Saturday Night Live , the show that reaches more unique people in the US than any other YouTube channel, according to a new report from Digital i.
The report measured from January 1st to June 30th of this year and tracked “reach,” a metric that attempts to capture unique, authentic viewers. A channel like Mr. Beast might have more subscribers and pure “views” than SNL, but some of those watches might not come from humans, and some are repeats — the stereotypical 12-year-olds shuffling through Mr. Beast playlists in the background while powering through Minecraft or Roblox.
Digital i estimates that SNL reaches 38.6 million unique people via YouTube, “more than any other” channel. Perhaps a surprise given YouTube’s reputation, but the top 10 is mostly traditional media outlets, including ABC News (33.3 million), NBC News (30.7), IGN (30.0), CNN (29.7), ESPN (29.0), and Forbes (28.4). The top 10 is rounded out by YouTube Movies at no. 2 (35.4), Netflix at no. 9 (27.8), and the NFL at 10 (27.7). It’s worth pointing out that YouTube skews younger, which might explain the absence of cable juggernauts like Fox News.
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“SNL” was also the most-searched-for topic on YouTube during the period, driven by SNL50: The Anniversary Special. “Kendrick” came in at no. 2, driven by a massive Super Bowl surge, and “Mr. Beast” appeared at no. 5. Most of the rest any parent could guess: Ms. Rachel, Bluey, and Cocomelon. The word “Trump” appears at no. 10 in search.
Saturday Night Live has pretty much always done pre-taped segments, but their current digital dominance can probably be traced back to a strategy that began with the “Digital Shorts” of The Lonely Island in the 2005-06 season. SNL‘s prominence reached another peak during the star-studded 50th anniversary special, but now that’s over, we’ve seen significant cast shakeups and the announcement of new featured players.