Insights
November 29, 2025
What share of TV viewing is streaming? (Q2 2025)
Streaming now accounts for nearly half of U.S. TV time. Here’s what that means for small businesses.
Table of Contents
Streaming now accounts for 47.3% of all U.S. TV viewing time, an all-time record high, according to Nielsen's Gauge data (July 2025). This represents a historic milestone: for the first time, streaming has surpassed broadcast and cable television combined. The shift has been dramatic, with streaming's share growing nearly 19 percentage points since 2020. For small businesses, this transformation creates unprecedented opportunities to reach audiences on the biggest screen in the house, often at a fraction of traditional TV advertising costs.
What the data shows
Nielsen's Gauge report provides the most comprehensive view of how Americans divide their TV time across different sources. The July 2025 data reveals streaming's dominant and growing position.
Key findings from the latest report:
Streaming share: 47.3% of all U.S. TV viewing time occurs on streaming platforms (July 2025 record high)
Historic milestone: In May 2025, streaming (44.8%) surpassed broadcast + cable combined (44.2%) for the first time ever
YouTube leads: YouTube alone captures 10.6% of all TV viewing, the single largest service share
Netflix second: Netflix holds 7.9% of TV viewing, the largest traditional subscription service
Cable declining: Cable's share has dropped below 27%, down from 35%+ just three years ago
Broadcast stable: Broadcast maintains roughly 20% share, buoyed by sports and news
The growth trajectory has been consistent. Streaming's share was approximately 28% in 2020, 35% in 2022, and 41% in 2024. The pace of growth has actually accelerated in 2025 as streaming services expand their content libraries and more households cut the cord entirely.
What's particularly notable is streaming's prime time dominance. During evening hours (7-10 PM), streaming's share often exceeds 50%. This is when viewers are most engaged and when advertising tends to be most effective. For context, learn more about YouTube's TV viewing share specifically.
Breaking down the numbers
Understanding streaming's composition helps advertisers make smarter decisions about where to invest.
By platform
Within streaming's 47.3% share, the market is highly fragmented. YouTube leads with 10.6%, followed by Netflix at 7.9%, Amazon Prime Video at 3.1%, Hulu at 2.6%, and Disney+ at 1.9%. The remaining share is divided among Max, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV+, and numerous smaller services. FAST services like Tubi and Pluto TV collectively represent about 4% of total TV viewing.
By demographics
Streaming skews younger but reaches all demographics. Among 18-34 year olds, streaming accounts for well over 60% of TV time. Among 35-49 year olds, it's approximately 50%. Even among 65+, streaming now represents over 30% of TV viewing. This means advertisers can reach virtually any demographic through streaming platforms.
Ad-supported vs. subscription
Within streaming, ad-supported viewing is growing faster than ad-free. 73.6% of all TV viewing is now ad-supported, and streaming is increasingly driving that growth. YouTube is almost entirely ad-supported, FAST services are 100% ad-supported, and premium services like Netflix and Disney+ are seeing strong adoption of their ad tiers.
Why it matters for your business
If you're running search and social ads only, you're missing where customers spend nearly half their TV time. And TV time is different from scroll time: viewers are engaged, leaned back, and often watching with household members.
The streaming opportunity
Streaming has democratized TV advertising. Unlike traditional TV where you needed massive budgets and agency relationships, streaming offers programmatic buying accessible to any size business. You can target by geography, demographics, interests, and even purchase behavior.
Industry-specific opportunities
Local service businesses (home services, healthcare, automotive): Target households in your service area during evening hours. A 15-25 mile radius around your location, targeting homeowners, puts your ad in front of actual potential customers.
Restaurants and retail: Reach local audiences during meal times or promote weekend specials. Restaurant advertising on streaming can drive same-day visits when timed correctly.
Real estate and professional services: Build credibility and awareness with real estate or financial services TV ads. Being "the agent I saw on TV" creates instant credibility.
Accessible entry point
The good news: you don't need a national budget. With platforms like Adwave, you can run TV advertising campaigns starting at just $50. AI generates your commercial from your website. Your ad can be live in minutes, reaching the same streaming audiences that major brands target.
How to take advantage of this trend
Knowing streaming dominates TV is valuable. Here's how to act on it.
Start with connected TV
Connected TV (CTV) advertising reaches viewers across all streaming platforms. Platforms like Roku, Hulu, and Amazon Fire TV offer programmatic access for any budget.
Test with a small budget
Begin with $100-$200 to gather initial data. Run for 2 weeks to capture viewing patterns across weekdays and weekends. Focus on your local area for local businesses.
Optimize for engagement
Evening hours (7-10 PM) capture the most engaged streaming viewers but also have higher CPMs. Consider testing afternoon hours for better efficiency, or weekends when streaming viewership spikes.
Measure brand lift
Track brand search lift (more people Googling your business), website traffic increases during campaigns, and ask new customers how they heard about you. TV advertising works differently than performance marketing.
The bigger picture
Streaming's rise represents the most significant shift in television since cable disrupted broadcast decades ago.
The cord-cutting acceleration
Approximately 6 million U.S. households cut the cord in 2024 alone, and the pace is accelerating. Younger households are increasingly "cord-nevers" who have never subscribed to traditional cable. As these viewers age into key advertiser demographics, streaming's dominance will only grow.
Content drives the shift
Streaming services now produce more premium content than broadcast and cable combined. Live sports, the last stronghold of traditional TV, are increasingly moving to streaming. Amazon has Thursday Night Football, Apple has MLB, and Netflix is expanding into live sports.
What's next
Industry analysts project streaming will reach 50%+ of TV viewing by late 2025 and 55%+ by 2027. The days when TV advertising meant buying expensive cable time slots are definitively over. Streaming has made TV advertising accessible to every business.
What experts are saying
Industry analysts have noted streaming's milestone as a defining moment in television history.
Nielsen's commentary on the May 2025 milestone noted: "Streaming surpassing broadcast and cable combined represents the culmination of a decade-long shift in how Americans consume television. This isn't a trend anymore; it's the new normal."
The Interactive Advertising Bureau has emphasized the advertiser implications: "The streaming shift has created more targetable, measurable, and accessible TV advertising inventory than ever before. Small and medium businesses can now compete on the same screens as Fortune 500 brands."
Common questions answered
What counts as "streaming" in Nielsen's data?
Streaming includes all content delivered via internet to television screens through apps and devices. This includes subscription services (Netflix, Disney+, Max), free ad-supported services (Tubi, Pluto TV), hybrid services (Hulu, Peacock), and YouTube. It does not include content watched on phones or computers.
Is streaming just for younger viewers?
No. While streaming skews younger, it reaches all demographics. Among 50-64 year olds, streaming accounts for approximately 40% of TV time. Among 65+, it's over 30% and growing. Smart TV adoption among older demographics continues to drive growth.
Can small businesses afford streaming TV advertising?
Yes. With programmatic buying platforms like Adwave, small businesses can run streaming TV campaigns starting at $50. CPMs typically range from $15-$35. AI tools create broadcast-ready ads from your website without production costs.
Will streaming continue to grow?
All forecasts project continued growth. Streaming is expected to reach 50%+ by late 2025 and 55%+ by 2027. The only question is pace, not direction. Cord-cutting, content investment, and live sports migration all support continued growth.
How does this compare to other countries?
The U.S. leads global streaming adoption due to earlier cord-cutting, higher smart TV penetration, and more streaming service options. UK, Canada, and Australia are following similar trajectories but are approximately 2-3 years behind U.S. streaming share levels.
Supporting data
Additional context on streaming TV viewing:
Streaming share: 47.3% of U.S. TV time (Nielsen Gauge, July 2025)
YouTube share: 10.6% of all TV viewing (Nielsen, July 2025)
Netflix share: 7.9% of all TV viewing (Nielsen, July 2025)
Cord-cutting pace: 6 million U.S. households cut the cord in 2024 (Leichtman Research)
Smart TV penetration: 85% of U.S. households have at least one smart TV (Parks Associates, 2025)
Ad-supported TV: 73.6% of all TV viewing includes advertising (Nielsen, Q2 2025)
CTV ad spend: U.S. CTV advertising projected to reach $30+ billion in 2025 (eMarketer)
All sources linked above. Data current as of July 2025.
Get started with TV advertising
Ready to reach the 47.3% of TV viewers watching streaming content? Adwave makes TV advertising accessible for small businesses, with campaigns starting at just $50. No production budget required because our AI creates your commercial from your website. No agency needed. Your ad can be live in minutes.