NEW YORK (AP) — The streaming of “Hamilton” by the Disney+ streaming service was surely the big event on television screens in American living rooms this past weekend. How many people actually saw it remains a mystery. Disney knows, but isn't telling.
The Nielsen company is getting that information, too, but deferring to Disney on when it becomes public. The “Hamilton” airing is the most prominent example yet of how consumption of entertainment is changing, but systems for measuring how many people are watching haven't kept up.
It's different for television, where it's easy to find how many people watched President Trump at Mount Rushmore, for instance.
Hamilton gave Disney+ a huge boost as its most prominent release since debuting.
The taping of the hit Broadway show was originally slated for a 2021 theatrical release, but was moved up during the coronavirus pandemic, which has shuttered all Broadway performances since March.
