It was a matter of time. The silent revolution of streaming has finally left traditional television behind. In May, on-demand services captured nearly half of the total time that Americans spent in front of the screen, according to the latest Nielsen report.
A turning point that confirms what many already suspected: watching TV as before is no longer the norm.
Streaming: the new king of the living room
According to the monthly report The Gauge, published by Nielsen, 44.8% of television consumption in the United States in May was done through streaming platforms. This significantly surpasses cable television (24%) and broadcast television (20%).
The difference is no longer symbolic. It is a shift in power.
YouTube is a hit (and without spending on series)
One of the most striking pieces of data from the report is that YouTube, yes, YouTube, was the most viewed platform in May: it captured 12.5% of the total television audience. Not bad for a service based on short videos, tutorials, gameplays, and user-generated content.
The growth is also reflected in free ad-supported platforms. Pluto TV, Roku Channel, and Tubi - yes, that Tubi everyone is talking about lately - already account for 5.7% of total TV consumption, according to Nielsen. Free and with ads, but increasingly popular.
The pandemic accelerated the inevitable
Although the trend was already on the rise, the COVID lockdown was the final push. With millions of people stuck at home, streaming became the most comfortable, personalized, and flexible option. What started as a temporary habit has now solidified as a new custom.
Today, most people prefer to watch what they want, when they want, without depending on schedules or TV schedules.
What does this mean for the industry?
Beyond statistics, this transformation changes the rules of the game. For advertisers, it means rethinking where and how to invest their money. For content creators, it means understanding that competition is not only in prime time, but also in the algorithm.
And for traditional channels... well, the future looks challenging.