Streaming hit a new high in May, surpassing total viewing of broadcast and cable TV for the first time, according to Nielsen.
The milestone was noted in the measurement firm’s latest edition of The Gauge, a monthly snapshot of TV viewership.
Streaming accounted for 44.8% of viewership via TV screens during the month, the report said, while broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) together represented 44.2% of overall tune-in.
Although marquee streaming titles like Andor (whose second season on Disney+ wrapped up in May) and feature film Nonnas on Netflix grabbed headlines, the narrative of streaming was more about its multi-faceted nature and the ongoing shift in consumer habit.
Subscription services may have defined streaming years ago, but free outlets have increasingly made their presence felt, most notably YouTube. The Google-owned video giant in May hit its highest share of viewing ever, at 12.5%, which was also the biggest share of any streaming service to date in the Gauge report. YouTube topped Netflix by five full percentage points during the period.
Three FAST services – Pluto TV, Roku Channel and Tubi – have reached the statistical threshold of being broken out in the Gauge. The three combined for 5.7% of total TV viewing in May, more than any individual broadcast network.
Nielsen also noted the dramatic change that has occurred during the four years the company has been issuing its monthly Gauge reports. Streaming viewership has surged 71% during that span, while broadcast and cable viewing have declined by 21% and 39%, respectively.
Netflix has been the top SVOD service in total TV viewing during the run of the Gauge, with viewership up 27% since May 2021. Nielsen also emphasized the “Netflix effect,” which gives shows like Suits or Young Sheldon audience boosts on other platforms by virtue of the size of the streaming leader’s footprint.
As to the edge of streaming over traditional linear TV, Nielsen summed it up this way: “While the milestone of streaming exceeding traditional TV viewership is almost certainly not permanent, it presumably will be in the near future. This trend could continue into the summer months, but the balance will likely shift back – at least temporarily – as football kicks off and a new broadcast season returns.”
Here is the main chart in the May edition of the Gauge:
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