The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election marked a pivotal moment for news broadcasters navigating the shifting tides of audience preferences and social media dynamics. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram rising to prominence and traditional platforms like X (formerly Twitter) losing ground, broadcasters had to rethink their digital strategies to engage audiences effectively.
We recently published a report analyzing the social media video posts of the top five U.S. broadcasters on Election Day and uncovered key trends in how audiences engaged with their coverage. You can read the full report here.
This blog dives into how these major U.S. broadcasters — ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News — leveraged social platforms to publish video content during the critical 48-hour election period (from Nov. 5th at the opening of poll boxes until Nov. 6th after Vice President Kamala Harris’ concession speech).
From the dominance of YouTube to the growing adoption of vertical and mobile-first formats, this analysis highlights the strategies broadcasters used to maximize reach, relevance, and engagement.
How social media has changed since 2020
Compared to the 2020 edition of our U.S. elections report, we’ve observed significant changes in how broadcasters use social media platforms:
- YouTube has become the leading platform for video posts, overtaking X, which has fallen to fifth place. ABC News and CNN, in particular, drastically reduced their use of X, with CNN not publishing any videos on the platform during the election period.
- Instagram and TikTok are now competing with Facebook for the second spot in terms of the number of video posts. Four years ago, neither Instagram nor TikTok was included in our analysis, but their explosive growth has made them indispensable to broadcasters, especially for reaching younger audiences.
- The rise of vertical video has transformed content production. A key consideration for broadcasters today is how to produce vertical content from their traditional 16:9 linear broadcasts. This often involves letterboxing, cropping, or rezoning the frame to fit vertical formats, a shift that was explored in detail in our white paper. For this blog post, we’ll summarize some of those key strategies and their impact on audience engagement.
These shifts reflect the evolving preferences of audiences and underscore the need for broadcasters to adapt to the rapidly changing digital landscape.
Social platform usage for horizontal and vertical content
TV broadcasters are increasingly adapting to the rise of new video formats, driven by the prevalence of mobile device usage. Let’s explore how the five major U.S. news broadcasters leveraged social platforms to publish content in different formats during the 2024 Presidential Election Day.
Most common video formats posted on social media
Most video posts from news broadcasters are repurposed TV clips using the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio. However, broadcasters are increasingly adopting formats tailored to mobile devices, such as:
- Vertical (9:16) for mobile-first platforms.
- Square (1:1) and other intermediate ratios like 4:5 and 3:4, which work well on both horizontal and vertical displays.
During Election Day, broadcasters primarily used three video formats:
- Horizontal (16:9): Dominated on platforms like YouTube and was often repurposed directly from TV broadcasts.
- Square (1:1): Frequently used on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for hybrid viewing.
- Vertical (9:16): Most popular on TikTok and Instagram, especially among broadcasters aiming to engage younger audiences.
Horizontal videos were most commonly used for YouTube, which remains the leading platform for this format. Interestingly, some broadcasters also use horizontal videos on mobile-first platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where they achieved high viewership, particularly for time-sensitive content like election result announcements.
Vertical content was more evenly distributed across platforms, with TikTok and Instagram dominating in volume. CBS News and ABC News leaned heavily into these platforms, prioritizing vertical-first content to engage younger audiences where they spend the most time. Other broadcasters took a more balanced approach, distributing vertical and square content across Facebook, YouTube, and X.
A key factor in this shift is how broadcasters are adapting their traditionally horizontal 16:9 content for vertical platforms. Some used simple letterboxing to preserve the full frame, while others opted for cropping and rezoning techniques to ensure the most important visuals and on-screen text remained clear and engaging in a vertical aspect ratio.
These strategies reflect a growing recognition that repurposing content for different platforms isn't just about resizing — it's about rethinking composition, pacing, and storytelling to maximize impact.
Spotlight on CBS News: Quantity doesn't always equal success
CBS News led the pack in video post creation during the election period, publishing the highest volume of posts across all major social platforms. However, their prolific output did not translate into proportional engagement or viewership. Surprisingly, CBS News ranked second to last in total views, with 57.3 million — only 400,000 more than CNN, which posted just 133 videos compared to CBS News’ 635.
When examining the average views per post, CBS News consistently ranked last across all platforms except X (formerly Twitter), where they claimed second place behind Fox News.
Why did CBS News fall short?
The size of CBS News' follower base is a partial explanation; it is the smallest among all platforms except TikTok. However, follower count alone doesn’t fully account for their underperformance on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok.
A closer look at CBS News’ content strategy reveals a more traditional and conservative approach to video publishing compared to the other broadcasters:
- Platform usage: CBS News primarily uses YouTube, Facebook, and X to publish horizontal (16:9) content, while other broadcasters treat Facebook and X as mobile-friendly platforms, favoring vertical or square formats.
- Vertical content distribution: CBS News concentrates its vertical content on Instagram and TikTok, whereas other broadcasters distribute vertical formats more evenly across four to five platforms. This broader distribution allows competitors to engage a wider demographic.
This conservative strategy may limit CBS News’ ability to maximize engagement and adapt to the evolving preferences of social media audiences.
For deeper insights and analysis, check out the full report
The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election underscored the growing complexity of digital video strategies for broadcasters. The shift toward reformatting content 16:9 for mobile-first platforms like TikTok and Instagram and the increasing adoption of vertical and square video formats reflect the changing habits of modern audiences.
As broadcasters continue to adapt to these trends, it’s clear that success lies in balancing speed, format versatility, and platform-specific content strategies. By staying ahead of these shifts, they can ensure they remain relevant and impactful in the fast-paced world of digital news.
The full report offers a roadmap for how broadcasters can navigate the evolving social media landscape — not just for elections but for all live events that demand audience attention in real time.