Streaming Surpasses Cable in U.S. Viewing Share

For the first time, streaming usage surpassed that of cable in the U.S., per Nielsen, representing 34.8 percent of TV consumption in July, with cable at 34.4 percent.

According to Nielsen’s The Gauge, a monthly look at TV and streaming trends, broadcast television clocked in at 21.6 percent, a 9.8 percent year-on-year change. Cable was down 8.9 percent year-on-year, while streaming was up 22.6 percent. Time spent streaming in July averaged nearly 191 billion minutes per week.

Netflix took the largest share of viewing time, at 8 percent, boosted by Stranger Things, with YouTube at 7.3 percent. Hulu was a distant third at 3.6 percent, followed by Prime Video at 3 percent, Disney+ at 1.8 percent and HBO Max at 1 percent.