The streaming services Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, Max, and Discovery Plus app soon appear on the screen of a smartphone in Reno, United States, on November 25, 2024. Jaque Silva | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesStreaming has outpaced the combined share of broadcast and cable TV viewing for the first time ever, according to a new Nielsen report.Streaming represented 44.8% of total TV viewership in May, its largest share to date, while broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) combined represented 44.2% of TV viewing, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge monthly report.Compared with this time four years ago, when Nielsen started its monthly reports, streaming has skyrocketed 71%, while broadcast and cable viewing have declined 21% and 39%, respectively, according to Nielsen.”While many have expected this milestone to occur sooner, sporting events, news and new season content have kept broadcast and cable surprisingly resilient,” said Brian Fuhrer, Nielsen’s senior vice president of product strategy and thought leadership, in a recorded video statement.The share of streaming has been steadily rising in The Gauge reports since 2021, compared with broadcast and cable’s share of TV viewing.Fuhrer said streaming’s growth has been driven by three main factors: free ad-supported streaming TV offerings, also known as FAST channels; the rise of YouTube; and shifts within legacy media companies to reach streaming-centric consumers.In May 2021, only five streaming platforms exceeded 1% of total TV viewing, based on Nielsen data. As of the most recent Gauge report, 11 streaming platforms have now have met that threshold.Those platforms include FAST channels Pluto TV, Roku Channel and Tubi. Nielsen notes that these free channels have become increasingly popular and that free services overall have been a major driver of growth. Combined, those three channels accounted for 5.7% of total TV viewing in May, more than any individual broadcast network.Another free option — YouTube — has emerged as a streaming champion over the past four years. YouTube’s main division, excluding YouTube TV, climbed 120% since 2 …
