Streaming eclipses cable and broadcast as most watched form of TV, data shows
FILE - A person is holding a TV remote with Netflix visible in the background in this photo illustration on May 5, 2024. (Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
For the first time, streaming has become the most popular form of viewing TV, outpacing broadcast and cable combined, according to Nielsen.
The latest numbers from May were gathered by Nielsen’s monthly report, The Gauge.
Streaming gaining steam
By the numbers:
TV viewership via streaming is up 71% compared to data from May 2021, according to Nielsen. But despite its gradual decline, traditional TV viewing is still showing surprising resilience.
What they're saying:
"It’s fitting that this inflection point coincides with the four year anniversary of Nielsen’s The Gauge, which has become the gold standard for streaming TV measurement," said Karthik Rao, Nielsen CEO. "It’s also a credit to media companies, who have deftly adapted their programming strategies to meet their viewers where they are watching TV – whether it’s on streaming or linear platforms."
Netflix remains top pick
Dig deeper:
Netflix remains the top choice for viewers when it comes to streaming shows.
Viewership on the platform climbed 27% since May 2021, in part because of its exclusive deal with the NFL.
Free services also had overall success as YouTube Main (excluding YouTube TV) saw steady growth of over 120% since 2021.
YouTube represented 12.5% of all TV viewing in May of this year, according to Nielsen.
FAST streaming services also gained in popularity in May. Services such as PlutoTV, Roku Channel and Tubi had a combined 5.7% of total TV viewing.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from Nielsen’s monthly report of The Gauge for May 2025. This story was reported from Los Angeles.