New data from Nielsen Media Research has marked a significant turning point in American television consumption, revealing that streaming services surpassed traditional broadcast and cable television viewership in the United United States for the first time ever during May 2025.
The groundbreaking report underscores the accelerating shift in how audiences choose to consume video content, indicating a clear momentum towards on-demand digital platforms over linear programming.
The Data Details
According to the study conducted by Nielsen Media Research, streaming accounted for a leading 44.8% of total television viewership in the United States in May 2025. This figure represents viewership measured specifically on television screens, deliberately excluding consumption via computers or mobile devices, thereby offering a direct comparison within the traditional TV viewing environment.
In stark contrast to streaming’s dominance, traditional broadcast television held just 20.1% of the total share during the same period. Cable television fared only slightly better but still lagged significantly behind streaming, capturing 24.1% of the viewership.
The combined share of broadcast and cable (44.2%) was, for the first time in recorded history by this measurement, eclipsed by the solitary share of streaming services.
Streaming Platform Performance
The Nielsen report also offered insights into the performance of individual streaming platforms, highlighting the diverse landscape within the streaming category. Notably, viewership via YouTube reached a new high, capturing a significant 12.5% of total TV viewership during May 2025. This performance positioned YouTube ahead of individual subscription streaming services measured in the report.
Among the prominent subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms, Netflix registered a 7.5% share of total viewership, while Disney+ held a 5% share.
These figures indicate that while established SVOD giants remain key players, platforms offering a mix of user-generated, live, and professional content, like YouTube, are commanding an increasingly large portion of the streaming audience on the big screen.
Factors Driving Streaming Dominance
The surge in streaming viewership share can be attributed to several key factors identified by industry analysts and observers, mirroring trends seen over recent years. The primary drivers include the continued rise in original programming produced specifically for streaming platforms and the extensive, constantly growing content libraries offered by these services.
Streaming services have invested heavily in creating exclusive, high-quality series and films that attract dedicated audiences. Furthermore, their ability to offer vast catalogs of licensed and original content available on demand provides viewers with unparalleled choice and flexibility compared to the scheduled nature of broadcast and cable television.
The convenience of watching content anytime, anywhere (within the TV screen context of this study), combined with a growing selection of compelling programs across various genres, has steadily drawn viewers away from traditional linear channels.
A Potential Temporary Shift?
Despite the landmark figures reported for May 2025, Nielsen Media Research included a crucial caveat regarding the potential impermanence of this shift. The report noted that streaming’s dominance might be temporary and could potentially reverse in the coming months.
This anticipated fluctuation is largely tied to the cyclical nature of the television calendar. Traditional broadcast and cable television typically see a significant boost in viewership with the return of major live sports, particularly the NFL season, which draws massive audiences. Additionally, the debut of a new broadcast season in September, featuring returning popular series and new premieres, traditionally brings viewers back to linear television.
Therefore, while May 2025 represents a historic peak for streaming relative to traditional TV, the landscape remains dynamic and subject to seasonal viewing habits and programming schedules.
Looking Ahead
The data from Nielsen Media Research for May 2025 provides compelling evidence of the long-predicted evolution in television consumption habits reaching a critical threshold. While the dominance of streaming may fluctuate, particularly with the return of major live programming events on traditional platforms, the underlying trend towards digital, on-demand viewing appears firmly established.
This milestone suggests that content creators, distributors, and advertisers will continue to increasingly focus their strategies on navigating a media environment where streaming is not just a significant player, but the leading force in attracting television audiences in the United States.
