The Moon Man still has some life. CBS’ and MTV‘s coverage of the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards averaged a combined 8.43 million viewers on Sunday night, according to Nielsen Live+same day fast nationals. Those numbers are subject to change once finals are in, but for now that makes it the most-watched VMAs in 11 years (since 2015, when it only ran on MTV) and puts it up 51% vs. last year’s show.
\n\nThe VMAs were likely assisted by an NFL football overrun (which went late until the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Dallas Cowboys), pushing the start time of the VMAs by several minutes (to 7:51 p.m. ET). The show still started at 4:30 p.m. PT inside L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater, but wound up being tape-delayed as a result on CBS.
\n\nThat 8.43 million number includes the simulcast on CBS and MTV, as well as an encore on MTV. But in an apples-to-apples comparison, the show last year (on Sept. 7, 2025) also aired on CBS, MTV and encored on MTV — and that telecast brought in 5.60 million viewers.
\n\nIn individual network numbers, the CBS telecast averaged 7.61 million viewers, up 52% from last year (5.00 million). MTV’s simulcast…
Original source: https://variety.com/v/tv/
