HBO isn’t going to release ratings numbers anymore
Perhaps recognizing that the vast majority of people who watch HBO shows do so with the use of a family member’s HBO GO password, the cable network has announced that it will no longer be releasing regular ratings information anymore. This comes from Entertainment Weekly, which notes that a typical Game Of Thrones episode got 6.6 million viewers on its initial airing, but when DVR numbers, repeat airings, and streaming services are included, the number jumps to 19.1 million. The idea, presumably, is that HBO doesn’t really need to bother with the numbers for the day something aired since it doesn’t have to attract advertisers or anything, and by only talking about the crazy huge ratings—like, say, 19.1 million people for an episode of Game Of Thrones—it makes itself sound a lot more popular and attractive to prospective subscribers.