On Our Minds: Streaming is #1

We all knew it was just a matter of time, but it's finally happened. In May, Streaming viewership was higher than the combination of both Broadcast and Cable. 44.8% of TV viewership was on Streaming platforms compared to 20.1% for Broadcast and 24.1% for Cable.

This data is courtesy of Nielsen's The Gauge report, which launched four years ago in May 2021. In four years, Streaming has increased 71%, Broadcast has dropped 21%, and Cable has dropped 39%. Live sports in particular continues to be a major factor in where viewership goes. While Streaming was #1 in May, it's possible that it might dip back down in the fall when the NFL is back. While everyone knows the most-watched primetime telecast any given year is the Super Bowl, in 2024, the top 10 most-watched primetime telecasts were actually all NFL games. 

Looking more closely at Streaming platform specifics, YouTube has the greatest percentage of streaming time, followed by Netflix, and then the family of Disney streaming products combined (Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu SVOD). According to May data from subscription analyst firm Antenna, 46% of Discovery Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, and Peacock subscribers in the US are paying for ad-supported plans. Between this data point and knowing YouTube always has advertising, there are plenty of opportunities for Broadway marketers to reach potential customers on streaming platforms.

So when it comes to overall dollars spent on TV viewership, are you spending more on Streaming than Broadcast/Cable combined? 

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