RESEARCH
Streaming Surpasses Broadcast and Cable Combined for the First Time: 44.8% of US TV Viewing in May 2025
Nielsen's The Gauge data confirmed a landmark shift in US television in May 2025: streaming platforms collectively claimed 44.8% of all TV viewing time, narrowly outpacing the combined 44.2% share held by broadcast and cable. It marks the first time in the history of Nielsen's monthly TV measurement that streaming outperformed traditional linear TV formats combined. YouTube led all individual platforms at 12.5% of total TV usage, its highest single-month share ever recorded. By December 2025, streaming's share climbed further to 47.5%, while cable's share (20.2%) fell below broadcast (21.4%) for the first time.
Findings
- Streaming reached 44.8% of US TV viewing in May 2025, exceeding broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) combined for the first time in Nielsen history.
- YouTube alone commanded 12.5% of total TV usage in May 2025 — the highest single-platform share ever recorded by Nielsen's Gauge.
- Streaming usage has grown 71% since May 2021; broadcast has declined 21% and cable has fallen 39% over the same period.
- By December 2025, streaming's share reached 47.5% — a new record — while cable (20.2%) fell below broadcast (21.4%) for the first time.
Delta Engine result
↔ Divergence Detected — Δ 0.1111 (threshold 0.05)
- CNBC T3 88
- Nielsen (The Gauge) T2 95
- Hollywood Reporter T2 90
- Variety T2 87
- Deadline T2 85
Evidence quality
avg 58 · min 55 · max 70 · spread 15