Streaming is now the main way people watch TV

More people now stream TV than watch broadcast and cable combined, Nielsen said Tuesday. May was the first full month ever where that’s been true.

The change has been rapid. From Nielsen:

When comparing TV usage in May 2021 and May 2025, it’s clear that streaming has been the dominant viewing format with a usage increase of 71%. And while broadcast and cable viewing have declined (down 21% and 39%, respectively, compared with May 2021), traditional TV has shown surprising resilience.

Much of the growth has been driven by free offerings. (FAST stands for Free Ad-Supported Television.)

Most notably, YouTube Main (excluding YouTube TV) has exhibited steady, significant growth and is up over 120% since 2021. YouTube represented 12.5% of all television viewing in May, its fourth consecutive monthly share increase and the highest share of TV for any streamer to date. Additionally, FAST services have become increasingly popular, and three have reached the reportable threshold in The Gauge. PlutoTV, Roku Channel and Tubi combined for 5.7% of total TV viewing in May, which is larger than any individual broadcast network this interval.

Older viewers, in particular, love that free stuff. The New York Times notes:

Older viewers watch a lot of television, more than any other cohort — one-third of all viewing comes from this group. And they have been moving to streaming in droves in the last few years — particularly to platforms that are free and require no subscription. For instance, since 2023, viewers over 65 are the fastest-growing age group for watching YouTube off a television set…

Older viewers are a major reason that “Gunsmoke” — the fabled Western that premiered in 1955 and went off the air in 1975 — has been making regular appearances in Nielsen’s most-watched streaming series lists over the past few months.

This trend isn’t permanent yet, Nielsen said: “The balance will likely shift back — at least temporarily — as football kicks off and a new broadcast season returns.” But it’s a sign of where things are headed.