Streaming dominates TV Viewing in July, Nielsen's The Gauge reports record share

Nielsen this week released its monthly The Gauge report, revealing a significant shift in television viewing habits during July 2024. The report, which provides a snapshot of total broadcast, cable, and streaming consumption through television screens, showed that streaming services have reached an unprecedented level of dominance in the TV landscape. According to Nielsen, streaming accounted for 41.4% of total TV viewing in July, marking the highest share ever recorded for any single viewing category since the inception of The Gauge.

This milestone comes just one month after streaming set its previous record in June, demonstrating the rapid pace at which viewer preferences are evolving. The July figures represent a more than 5% increase in streaming levels compared to June, resulting in a 1.1 percentage point growth in streaming's share of total TV viewing. This surge in streaming consumption occurred despite the commencement of the Summer Olympics in Paris, which traditionally boosts broadcast viewership.

The impact of the Olympics was evident in the report, even though only three days of coverage fell within the July measurement period. Total TV usage increased by 2.3% compared to June and showed a 3.5% rise from July 2023. Broadcast viewing saw a slight uptick, reaching 20.3% of total TV usage, which represents a 5% increase compared to the previous year. The Olympics' influence became particularly apparent in the final week of July, when broadcast's share of total TV jumped to over 22%.

One of the most notable developments in the July report was YouTube's achievement as the first streaming platform to surpass 10% of total TV usage. The popular video-sharing site captured 10.4% of TV viewing, a 0.5 percentage point increase from June. This milestone underscores YouTube's growing importance in the media landscape and its ability to compete with traditional television formats.

Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service, experienced a significant boost due to its Olympics coverage. The platform's share of TV viewing increased to 1.5%, a 0.3 percentage point gain, marking its second-best performance ever. Peacock's monthly usage surged by 33%, the largest increase among all streaming platforms in July. This growth was further supported by the popularity of shows like "Love Island USA."

Other streaming services also saw notable gains. Amazon Prime Video's viewing share rose to 3.4% of TV (+0.3 percentage points), its best performance since November 2023, driven by a 12% increase in monthly usage. The Roku Channel achieved a platform-best 1.6% share of TV, growing by 10% from the previous month.

July 2024 set several streaming records. Each week of the month ranked among the top four most-streamed weeks ever reported by Nielsen. In a first for the industry, ten titles exceeded 1 billion viewing minutes in a single week. Additionally, July now holds four of the top ten most-streamed days on record.

The popularity of specific streaming content also contributed to the overall growth. "House of the Dragon" on Max led streaming programs with 4.7 billion viewing minutes, helping to drive a 4% increase for the platform. Disney+'s "Bluey" followed closely with 4.3 billion viewing minutes, contributing to the service's 9.2% usage increase and a platform-best 2.1% share of TV. Amazon Prime Video's "The Boys" ranked third among streaming programs with 4.2 billion viewing minutes.

While streaming surged, cable viewing remained stable compared to June. However, due to the overall increase in TV usage, cable's share of viewing declined by half a percentage point to 26.7%. Cable news saw a strong uptick, driven by coverage of the Republican National Convention and an assassination attempt on former President Trump. News viewership increased by 23% compared to June and 52% compared to July 2023.

The Gauge's methodology encompasses a four-week measurement period, which for July 2024 ran from July 1 through July 28. This approach provides a comprehensive view of viewing habits across an entire month, allowing for more accurate trend analysis and comparisons.

Nielsen's The Gauge has become an essential tool for understanding the rapidly changing landscape of television consumption. By offering a holistic look at what audiences are watching across various platforms, it provides valuable insights for industry professionals, marketers, and content creators alike.

Key facts from Nielsen's The Gauge report for July 2024

Streaming reached a record 41.4% share of total TV viewing

YouTube became the first streaming platform to exceed 10% of total TV usage (10.4%)

Total TV usage increased by 2.3% compared to June and 3.5% compared to July 2023

Broadcast viewing rose to 20.3% of total TV, up 5% from the previous year

Peacock's share increased to 1.5%, with a 33% monthly usage surge

Amazon Prime Video achieved a 3.4% share, its best since November 2023

The Roku Channel reached a platform-best 1.6% share of TV

"House of the Dragon" on Max led streaming programs with 4.7 billion viewing minutes

Cable's share declined to 26.7%, despite stable viewing numbers

Cable news viewership increased by 23% from June and 52% from July 2023