of U.S. TV viewing went to streaming
Streaming took the largest share of total television viewing in May 2026.
Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026Reference data
U.S. Live TV and Streaming Statistics
A source-backed snapshot of how Americans watched television, using the latest available viewing reports. Last updated September 9, 2026.
The newest figures below are from Nielsen's May and second-quarter 2026 reports. Each statistic links directly to its original source.
Latest available data
How Americans were watching television
These figures measure viewing on television screens. They are useful context for anyone comparing live TV, streaming services, and the mix of viewing options in a home.
of U.S. TV viewing went to cable
Cable remained a meaningful part of household viewing in May 2026.
Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026of U.S. TV viewing went to broadcast
Broadcast television accounted for about one-fifth of TV viewing in May 2026.
Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026of U.S. TV viewing went to YouTube
YouTube was the largest individual media distributor in Nielsen's May 2026 report.
Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026of U.S. TV viewing went to Netflix
Netflix represented the fourth-largest media distributor share of TV viewing in May 2026.
Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026of U.S. TV viewing went to Prime Video
Prime Video reached its highest reported share of television usage in May 2026.
Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026of U.S. TV viewing went to The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel reached a platform-best share of total TV usage in May 2026.
Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026of TV viewing was ad-supported
This share includes ad-supported viewing across broadcast, cable, and streaming in the second quarter of 2026.
Source: Nielsen, Ad Supported Gauge, Q2 2026of ad-supported TV viewing was streaming
Streaming held the largest share of ad-supported TV viewing in the second quarter of 2026.
Source: Nielsen, Ad Supported Gauge, Q2 2026What the figures show
There is no single way households watch anymore.
Streaming has become the largest share of television viewing, while broadcast and cable still account for a substantial share of the screen time in American homes. That helps explain why a practical TV setup often needs to fit both familiar live viewing and the streaming services people use every day.
The numbers are not a recommendation for one provider or device. They are a current reference point for understanding the broader U.S. television market.
Methodology and sources
Built from published Nielsen viewing reports.
This page includes only figures directly reported by Nielsen. The May 2026 figures come from Nielsen's monthly The Gauge report. The ad-supported figure comes from Nielsen's second-quarter 2026 Ad Supported Gauge report. My Simply TV updates this page when a newer relevant source is available.
Cite this page
My Simply TV. “U.S. Live TV and Streaming Statistics.” Updated September 9, 2026. Use a direct link to the statistic you cite, such as the streaming share or ad-supported viewing figure above.
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