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Michael Schneider
Executive Editor
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Francis Specker/CBS 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) and puts it up 51% vs. last year’s show.
The VMAs were likely assisted by an NFL football overrun, which pushed 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.
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