September 04, 2025
What share of TV viewing is streaming?
July 2025: Streaming hit 47.3% of U.S. TV time (record high), vs. broadcast 18.4% and cable 22.2% (Nielsen’s The Gauge).
Table of Contents
In July 2025, streaming accounted for 47.3% of all U.S. TV viewing time—a record high—per Nielsen’s The Gauge. Broadcast: 18.4%, cable: 22.2%, other: 12.1%. Source: Nielsen — The Gauge (July 2025)
Supporting stats
Milestone (May 2025): Streaming hit 44.8%, exceeding broadcast + cable combined (44.2%) for the first time. Source: Nielsen — The Gauge (May 2025)
Trend (April 2025): Streaming stood at 44.3%, then climbed through late spring and summer. Source: Nielsen — The Gauge (April 2025)
Context (Q2 2025): Across all TV, ad‑supported viewing was 73.6% of time (vs. 26.4% non‑ad‑supported). Source: Nielsen — Ad‑Supported Gauge (Q2 2025)
Why it matters
With nearly half of TV time now in streaming environments, small businesses can use CTV to reach audiences with TV‑quality placements, targeting, and transparent measurement without national‑TV budgets.
Methodology & sources
Nielsen’s The Gauge is a monthly snapshot of U.S. TV usage across streaming, cable, and broadcast (reported on a broadcast‑calendar basis). “Other” includes unmeasured VOD, gaming, and other device use (e.g., DVD playback).