CBC’s live broadcast of the Olympic Games opening ceremony and primetime encore were the top two most-watched programs in Canada on July 26 among 25 to 54 year-olds, said Numeris.

One in three Canadians (more than 13.3 million viewers) tuned in to the opening ceremony on CBC and partner stations TSN, Sportsnet and RDS. CBC’s average audience during the ceremony increased by 33% compared to the Tokyo ceremony in 2020, and by 36% compared to Beijing in 2022. Viewership reached its peak during the presentation of Team Canada (1.6 million viewers).

On the digital side, CBC recorded 1.9 million broadcasts on several platforms, including CBC Gem, ICI TOU.TV, CBC/Radio-Canada website, as well as CBC Paris 2024 app and Radio-Canada JO Paris 2024 app. Live broadcasts of the ceremony on CBC Gem increased by more than 100% compared to Tokyo and by nearly 50% compared to Beijing.

The total number of hours spent by viewers across all CBC digital platforms to date is nearly double the daily average during Tokyo, and nearly 10% higher than the daily average in Beijing. Daily time spent on CBC Gem during these Games has also increased.

Numbers also revealed that the majority of Canadians are using connected TVs to watch the Games, with these devices accounting for 63% of hours watched on CBC Gem to date. Connected TV viewing has increased 120% compared to Beijing 2022 and 273% compared to Tokyo 2020.

CBC’s coverage of the opening ceremony was led by Paris Prime Live’s Scott Russell and CBC News chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault, as well as the CBC Toyota Olympic Games Primetime panel – Andi Petrillo, Waneek Horn-Miller, Perdita Felicien and Craig McMorris – who joined together to guide the audience through every moment.

With 10,500 athletes representing 206 nations and 300,000 spectators in attendance, this was the largest opening ceremony in Olympic history and the first to be held outside a stadium. For the first time, the ceremony broke with tradition by having the athletes’ parade open the show, and featured the presence of the athletes on stage throughout the ceremony.