September 05, 2025
What percentage of U.S. TV time is ad‑supported vs. ad‑free (Q2 2025)?
Q2 2025: Ad‑supported accounted for 73.6% of total U.S. TV viewing (up +1.2 pts vs. Q1); non‑ad‑supported 26.4% — Nielsen’s Ad‑Supported Gauge.
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What percentage of U.S. TV time is ad‑supported vs. ad‑free (Q2 2025)?
Last updated: September 5, 2025
Short answer: In Q2 2025, ad‑supported content made up 73.6% of total U.S. TV viewing (**non‑ad‑supported: 26.4%), per Nielsen’s Ad‑Supported Gauge.
Source: Nielsen — Ad‑Supported Gauge (Q2 2025)
Supporting stats
QoQ trend: Ad‑supported share +1.2 points vs. Q1 2025 (73.6% vs. 72.4%). Nielsen also notes overall TV viewing fell –9% QoQ and ad‑supported viewing fell –8% QoQ (seasonal).
Within ad‑supported viewing (Q2):Streaming ~45.3%, cable ~28.7%, broadcast ~26.0% of ad‑supported viewing time (per Nielsen’s breakdown).
Context: See the latest monthly composition of TV time in Nielsen’s The Gauge data center.
Why it matters
Most TV time is still funded by ads, and that now spans streaming, cable, and broadcast. For small businesses, that means premium, brand‑safe inventory with audience targeting and transparent measurement is not just accessible—it’s where viewers are.
Methodology & sources
Nielsen’s Ad‑Supported Gauge extends The Gauge by segmenting total TV usage into ad‑supported vs. non‑ad‑supported viewing using panel + big‑data inputs.
Nielsen — Ad‑Supported Gauge (Q2 2025)
Nielsen — The Gauge (Data Center)
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