For the sixth month running, YouTube has held its ground as the most-watched streaming platform on television screens, according to the July 2025 Nielsen Media Distributor Gauge. The platform captured a commanding 13.4% share of total TV viewing, marking not only its longest streak at the top but also the largest month-to-month increase since Nielsen began tracking these metrics in November 2023. This latest jump—a +0.6% rise from June—has widened YouTube’s lead over its nearest rival, The Walt Disney Company, which slipped to 9.4% after a -0.6% decline.
The numbers, reported by both Adweek and Ainvest, reflect more than just a shifting tide in viewer preferences. They signal a transformation in the entertainment industry, where creators—once considered outsiders in Hollywood—are now at the center of the action. In 2025, YouTube’s dominance isn’t just about the volume of content. It’s about the rise of a new generation of talent and the business models that support them.
Netflix, which sits in third place with an 8.8% share, is feeling the pressure. The streaming giant saw a +0.3% gain in July, benefiting from summer’s no-school season and capturing the largest volume increase across all platforms—an additional 215,000 average minute viewers compared to the previous month. Netflix was also the only major platform to post gains across every viewing demographic, a testament to its broad appeal. Yet, the company’s leadership knows it can’t ignore the changing landscape.
"We’re looking for the next generation of great creators, and we’re looking everywhere," Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in April, as quoted by Business Insider. Netflix has already signed deals with YouTube stars like Ms. Rachel, The Sidemen, and science educator Mark Rober. The company is even seeking a leader to develop video podcasts and is brainstorming new creator-driven franchises, with reality hits like "Survivor" and "The Bachelor" cited as inspiration.
Amazon, meanwhile, made headlines by signing YouTuber MrBeast for the competition show Beast Games. The show’s season finale aired in February, and it was renewed in May for two more seasons. Other platforms—Comcast’s Peacock, Disney’s Hulu, and Fox-owned Tubi—are also investing heavily in creators, hoping to tap into the energy and audience loyalty these digital stars command.
"The creator economy reached a new level this year, further breaking into the mainstream and public consciousness," Brent Weinstein, a senior leader at Creative Artists Agency, told Business Insider. For many younger viewers, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram aren’t just alternatives to traditional TV—they’re the main event. This shift has helped creators build robust businesses, with YouTube itself reporting $70 billion in payouts to creators, artists, and media companies over the past three years.
It’s not just about the stars in front of the camera. Creator companies have grown in sophistication and scale, often mimicking traditional media organizations. MrBeast’s Beast Industries employed 350 people as of April, while Dhar Mann’s production company had 200 staffers by July. Trick-shot group Dude Perfect raised $100 million last year, and both MrBeast and Dhar Mann were actively pitching investors earlier in 2025. As Jeff Housenbold, president and CEO of Beast Industries, put it, "When I’m speaking with people from Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and Wall Street, the two consistent themes they are talking about are the rise of AI and the creator economy. We’re leveraging both of the biggest themes known to man right now."
Streaming services are responding. Tubi recently launched "Tubi for Creators," a program that, just three months in, boasts 60 creators and 5,000 episodes. The initiative aims to provide development funding and share brand revenue with creators. "We’re not trying to help them make TV shows—they already are," said Rich Bloom, a senior Tubi executive. The challenge, he noted, is figuring out how to harness and grow the success creators have already achieved on their own.
Despite these gains, the traditional entertainment industry isn’t going anywhere. At Tubi, creator content makes up less than 2% of the total episode library. Some recent creator-driven shows have struggled to find an audience—Netflix’s adaptation of the YouTube dating show "Pop the Balloon" received lukewarm reviews. Hollywood insiders like Lisa Filipelli, partner at Select Management Group, caution that studios are wary of betting big on unproven formats: "They’re not spending too much on riskier things," she said.
Still, the appetite for innovation is growing. Netflix’s recent update to its app, which now features vertical video previews, may hint at a future where streaming platforms embrace new formats tailored for mobile viewing. Interactive shows, mini-dramas shot in vertical video, and other experimental content are all on the table as streamers look for ways to deepen engagement and keep viewers from canceling their subscriptions.
All this industry activity is happening against the backdrop of a high-stakes contract dispute between Google (YouTube’s parent company) and Fox. As reported by USA Today and Ainvest, Fox is demanding higher payments from Google for carriage on YouTube TV, arguing that its content deserves parity with other providers. Google, for its part, claims Fox is asking for more than comparable content and says it’s trying to keep costs fair for subscribers. If no agreement is reached by 5 p.m. ET on August 27, Fox channels and saved content could vanish from YouTube TV—just as the college football season is about to kick off. To soften the blow, Google has offered YouTube TV subscribers a $10 credit if Fox content disappears. Fox, meanwhile, has launched a website called "Keep Fox" to rally support and inform viewers about potential channel removals.
These negotiations underscore the power and perils of modern streaming. As YouTube cements its lead and creators become increasingly central to Hollywood’s future, the question is less about whether the old and new worlds will collide—and more about how they’ll blend. "A watershed moment would be, we stop thinking about these as there’s a stark difference between traditional and creator content and just start talking about what content is popular on TV," said Tubi’s Bloom. "I think we’re not that far away from it."
As the lines blur and the stakes rise, one thing is clear: the battle for viewers’ attention is fiercer—and more fascinating—than ever.
