In a significant shift for the television industry, linear TV viewing dropped below 50 percent for the first time in July, according to Nielsen’s latest tracking data. While overall TV usage saw a slight increase compared to the previous month, the growth came from streaming platforms, which reached an all-time high with 38.7 percent of all TV usage. Additionally, the “other use” category, including video games played on a TV screen and physical media playback, contributed 11.6 percent to the overall TV usage.
This upward trend in streaming continues, with July being the third consecutive month that streaming’s share of TV use hit a high. In June, streaming accounted for 37.7 percent of TV viewing, indicating a growth of one percentage point in July.
Linear TV, on the other hand, experienced a decline in viewership. Broadcast networks’ share of viewing dropped to just 20 percent in July, while cable came in at 29.6 percent. These figures mark a low point for both broadcast and cable since Nielsen started releasing its monthly platform rankings, called the Gauge, in June 2021. In the inaugural rankings, broadcast and cable accounted for 63.6 percent of all TV use in the United States, a significant decline compared to the current 49.6 percent.
Over the past two years, streaming’s share of viewership has grown substantially. In June 2021, streaming represented around 26 percent of viewing, and it has now reached 38.7 percent in July 2023, indicating a 48 percent increase in just over two years.
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Among individual streaming services, YouTube led the way with 9.2 percent of all TV usage, excluding its YouTube TV service. Netflix followed closely behind with 8.5 percent. Fox’s ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) service, Tubi, had its best month to date with 1.4 percent of all usage, tying with Max.
The increase in streaming usage was driven by the popularity of acquired series. Netflix and Peacock’s show “Suits” alone accounted for more than 18 billion minutes of viewing in July, equivalent to the viewing time of “Stranger Things” in July 2022. Disney+’s animated series “Bluey” also performed well, accumulating approximately 5 billion minutes of viewing during the month.
Nielsen’s Gauge rankings for July 2023 are as follows:
– Streaming: 38.7 percent of TV usage
– Cable: 29.6 percent
– Broadcast: 20 percent
– Other: 11.6 percent
The top streaming services ranked by total TV usage are:
– YouTube: 9.2 percent
– Netflix: 8.5 percent
– Hulu: 3.6 percent
– Prime Video: 3.4 percent
– Disney+: 2 percent
– Max: 1.4 percent
– Tubi: 1.4 percent
– Peacock: 1.1 percent
– Roku Channel: 1.1 percent
– Paramount+: 1 percent
– Pluto TV: 0.9 percent
– All others: 5.1 percent
These rankings reflect the evolving landscape of television consumption, with streaming platforms gaining prominence and linear TV facing challenges in retaining viewership. As technology advances and audiences continue to prioritize flexibility and convenience, it is likely that streaming’s share of TV usage will continue to rise, potentially reshaping the industry even further.
