Streaming Surpasses Linear - But TV Is Not Dead Yet
The Streaming Milestone That Made Headlines
For the first time in the four-year history of Nielsen’s monthly TV consumption report, The Gauge, streaming has officially overtaken cable and broadcast combined. In May’s dataset, streaming captured 44.8% of total U.S. TV usage, while cable and broadcast together accounted for 44.2%, down significantly from their positions at the report’s launch in May 2021. That shift is the headline, and it’s deserved. Streaming is now the single largest format in American television consumption.
But the full picture tells a more grounded story. While streaming leads the pack, nearly half of all television viewing is still happening on linear channels. That's not a rounding error or a legacy anomaly, it’s a substantial share of a massive audience. And for media planners, it represents a planning opportunity too important to overlook.
Understanding the Trend: Four Years of Acceleration and Decline
The milestone arrives against a backdrop of long-term behavioral shifts. Since The Gauge debuted in May 2021, streaming usage has increased by 71%. In that same period, broadcast TV usage declined by 21%, and cable fell by 39%. These are not cyclical dips. They reflect a structural evolution in how content is consumed, how audiences engage, and how platforms program.
Still, the context behind May’s breakout moment is critical. Streaming’s ascent coincided with a seasonal lull in linear programming. The absence of live sports—especially the NFL—and the usual summer hiatus in prime-time broadcast schedules contributed meaningfully to the monthly viewership mix. That’s not to diminish streaming’s performance, but it’s a reminder that linear viewing is highly event-driven, with spikes tied to sports calendars, tentpole events, and fall premiere schedules.
Linear’s Persistent Role in Reach, Stability, and Cultural Relevance
Even as streaming takes the top line, linear continues to outperform in areas that still matter deeply to marketers. Live sports remain linear’s stronghold. The NFL, NBA Playoffs, NCAA tournaments, and global events like the Olympics still draw audiences in the tens of millions—and they do so predictably, consistently, and with national scale.
Broadcast and cable also provide structural advantages: content predictability, reliable ratings systems, and guaranteed placements within fixed dayparts. These aren’t abstract benefits. They form the basis of how many advertisers still measure reach, manage frequency, and allocate budgets across regions and demographics.
In addition, linear television still drives significant engagement among key audience segments—particularly in rural areas, among older demographics, and within households that haven't fully transitioned to broadband-first consumption. For campaigns that require geographic and demographic equity, linear is still a necessary layer.
Streaming is Winning Share, But the Ecosystem Isn’t Binary
Media planning isn’t a zero-sum game. Streaming’s rise does not require linear’s erasure. The smartest advertisers are leveraging both—using streaming’s targeting capabilities to deliver personalized messaging, while relying on linear to establish broad reach and cultural alignment. Each platform brings distinct advantages. Each earns its place through results.
And in practice, the hybrid approach is where performance gains are most often realized. A sports-heavy linear buy can be paired with streaming inventory to extend frequency and deliver incremental reach. Broadcast news placements can be supplemented with contextual streaming video around related topics. These aren’t theoretical tactics—they’re in active deployment right now across brands looking to build campaigns with full-market coverage.
Where the Market Actually Is
It's tempting to chase trendlines and declare clear winners. But the reality for most media buyers isn’t ideological—it’s operational. Where are the audiences today? Where are they likely to be in the coming months? And which platforms will allow you to deliver outcomes with efficiency, scale, and accountability?
Today, linear TV still captures over 44% of total viewing time. That number will continue to evolve, but for now, it defines the ecosystem. Streaming may be growing faster, but linear remains entrenched in consumer behavior, in market infrastructure, and in cultural moments that anchor entire campaigns.
What Marketers Should Take From This
The May data confirms what’s been long anticipated: streaming has become the dominant format in terms of single-platform viewership. But media planners should resist the instinct to treat that milestone as a line in the sand.
The viewing landscape is not monolithic. It is layered, seasonal, and deeply contextual. Planning strategies must reflect that complexity. To abandon linear because it’s no longer first is to ignore nearly half of the available television audience. That’s not strategy. That’s omission.