YouTube Dominates TV Viewing, Surpassing Disney and Netflix – Nielsen Report
YouTube is solidifying its position as a leading platform in the television landscape, according to Nielsen’s latest report. The April 2025 “Media Distributor Gauge” reveals that YouTube has maintained the largest share of TV viewing for the third consecutive month, capturing 12.4% of total audience time spent watching television.
This data, released by Nielsen on Tuesday, underscores YouTube’s growing dominance, marking a significant increase from 12% the previous month and 9.6% a year ago. The platform is now surpassing top media companies, including Disney, Paramount, and Netflix. Disney, for example, held 10.7% of the total TV viewing share in April, positioning YouTube as the clear leader.
Internal data from YouTube further supports this trend, indicating that TVs were the primary device for YouTube viewing in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2025.
The future looks promising for YouTube’s TV viewership, with potential for additional growth on the horizon. During its annual Upfront event for advertisers earlier this month, YouTube announced a significant deal with the NFL. This agreement grants YouTube exclusive streaming rights to the first Friday game of the season for a global audience, a milestone marking the platform’s debut as a live broadcaster for NFL games. This move is expected to draw even more viewers to YouTube’s TV offerings.
Nielsen’s report serves as another wake-up call that YouTube is rapidly gaining ground in the TV landscape.
