YouTube has once again cemented its status as the dominant force in American television viewing, capturing a remarkable 13.4% share of TV watch-time in July 2025, according to data released by Nielsen. This milestone marks the sixth consecutive month that YouTube has topped the Media Distributor Gauge rankings, a position it has held since Nielsen began tracking these figures in November 2023. The streaming giant not only maintained its lead but also widened the gap between itself and its closest competitors, establishing the largest lead recorded since the inception of Nielsen’s measurement system.
Disney, a perennial heavyweight in the media world, secured the second spot with 9.4% of TV viewing in July. However, YouTube’s lead over Disney grew to a significant 4.0 percentage points, up from a 2.8-point difference in June. This surge underscores YouTube’s growing influence and the shifting sands of American viewing habits. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, this four-point lead represents the most substantial margin ever seen between the top two distributors since Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge began.
Netflix, another streaming behemoth, rounded out the top three with 8.8% of TV viewing for the month. The company saw the largest month-over-month volume gain among all streaming platforms, increasing its average minute audience by 215,000 viewers compared to June. Notably, Netflix was the only streaming service to register growth across all demographic categories during July, a feat that highlights its broad and enduring appeal. As TheWrap noted, Netflix’s consistent release of new original and acquired titles helped fuel this momentum, allowing it to add half a share point over the previous month.
Trailing the top three, NBCUniversal and Paramount claimed the fourth and fifth spots with 7.6% and 7% of TV viewing, respectively. Fox followed at 6.5%, with Warner Bros. Discovery at 6%. Amazon, The Roku Channel, Scripps, Weigel Broadcasting, Hallmark, A+E Networks, and AMC Networks completed the rankings, with shares ranging from 3.9% down to 0.8%. Collectively, the 14 companies tracked by Nielsen accounted for 72% of all TV use in July, a figure consistent with previous months, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Streaming as a whole reached a new high, accounting for 47.3% of total TV viewing in July. This figure nearly equals the combined total for all cable networks and surpasses that of traditional broadcast TV. Broadcast television, buoyed by a 28% increase in news consumption, made up 18% of TV viewing, while cable TV comprised 22.2%, despite experiencing an 11% drop in news and a 17% decline in sports viewing. These shifts reflect a broader trend: viewers are increasingly turning to streaming platforms for their entertainment needs, leaving traditional formats scrambling to adapt.
The performance of individual streaming services also tells an interesting story. The Roku Channel, for example, notched a 2.8% share of TV viewing in July and posted the largest monthly usage increase among streaming platforms with a 7.5% lift compared to June. This surge was attributed to a combination of content offerings and the platform’s growing user base, as highlighted in Nielsen’s official release.
Amazon, meanwhile, captured 3.9% of TV viewing in July, coming close to its previous best of 4.0% set in December 2024. The platform’s gains were driven by two very different original series: the “Bosch” spinoff “Ballard,” which attracted viewers over 50 and racked up 2.5 billion minutes viewed, and new episodes of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” which resonated with the younger 12-to-24 demographic and totaled 1.5 billion minutes. According to Nielsen, Amazon’s share of TV viewing has increased by a staggering 62% since July 2021, a testament to its steady and consistent growth strategy.
Hallmark experienced a notable uptick as well, climbing to 1.1% of TV viewing in July. The network’s annual “Christmas in July” programming, which featured new premieres such as the four-part “Unwrapping Christmas” movies and holiday series like “Holidazed” and “Christmas at Sea,” resulted in a 19% bump in viewership. This seasonal boost helped Hallmark move up a slot in the distributor rankings, demonstrating the enduring appeal of holiday-themed content even in the heat of summer.
The July 2025 measurement period, as defined by Nielsen, covered June 30 through July 27. Nielsen’s methodology, known as The Gauge™, provides a holistic look at total broadcast, cable, and streaming consumption through television screens, offering the industry a comprehensive snapshot of what audiences are watching. In April 2024, The Gauge was expanded to include the Media Distributor Gauge, which reflects total viewing by media distributor across all categories.
Looking ahead, industry analysts anticipate that the seasonal shift from summer to fall will bring fresh changes to the media landscape. The return of major sports and the launch of new broadcast seasons are expected to impact both media distributors and audiences in the coming months. As viewing habits evolve with the seasons, the competition among platforms for viewers’ attention is likely to intensify, setting the stage for another dynamic period in the world of television.
For now, YouTube’s remarkable run at the top of the TV viewership charts is a clear signal of the changing preferences of American audiences. With streaming platforms capturing nearly half of all TV viewing, and with YouTube, Netflix, and other services continuing to innovate and expand their offerings, the future of television looks more digital—and more competitive—than ever before.
As the industry braces for the fall season and the return of sports, all eyes will be on whether YouTube can maintain its commanding lead or if the competition will close the gap. One thing is certain: the battle for America’s living rooms is far from over, and viewers have more choices than ever at their fingertips.
