Online video services reached almost 45% of total television usage in the United States in May, which for the first time was more than broadcast and pay television combined. YouTube was the most viewed online video source, with an eighth of all viewing.

According to the Nielsen Gauge, streaming accounted for a record 44.8% of total television viewing in the United States in May, up from 38.8% a year before, while broadcast channels made up 20.1% and cable or subscription channels made up 24.1%.

For the first time, total streaming accounted for more viewing than traditional television, although it was still under half of viewing, with the remaining 10.9% being games, discs, and other uncounted sources.

Although the lead may shift back to traditional television in the new broadcast season, it looks like a major turning point to online viewing that is likely to become permanent soon.

However, it is not as simple as people watching Netflix instead of traditional television. Netflix still only accounts for 7.5% of total television viewing in the United States. That is more than any single broadcast network, but behind the portfolios of the leading three distributors, Disney, Paramount, and NBC Universal.

It is four years since the launch of The Gauge in May 2021, providing a basic benchmark of how people spend time watching television.

Since then, online viewing has grown by 71% and broadcast and cable viewing have declined by 21% and 39% respectively.

“It’s fitting that this inflection point coincides with the four-year anniversary of Nielsen’s The Gauge, which has become the gold standard for streaming TV measurement,” said Karthik Rao, the chief executive of Nielsen. “It’s also a credit to media companies, who have deftly adapted their programming strategies to meet their viewers where they are watching TV — whether it’s on streaming or linear platforms.”

YouTube, not including the YouTube TV multichannel subscription platform, represented 12.5% of all television viewing in the United States in May, up from 9.7% a year before, its fourth consecutive monthly share increase.

Netflix at 7.5% was followed by Disney with 5.0%, Amazon Prime Video at 3.5% and Roku Channel at 2.5%, with Paramount at 2.2%, Tubi at 2.2%, Warner Bros. Discovery at 1.5%, and Peacock at 1.4%. Other streaming services with less than a 1% share made up 6.5%.

www.nielsen.com

Netflix is planning to offer TF1 channels and on-demand programmes from TF1+ on its platform for members in France. This is the first time that Netflix has engaged on such a distribution partnership with traditional channels. The landmark deal announced in Cannes marks a move to aggregate services that could be adopted in other markets.

TF1 channels and programmes will be available to all Netflix members in France from the Summer of 2026, allowing users to view them as part of their subscription, without leaving the service.

“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership that plays to our strengths of giving audiences the best entertainment alongside the best discovery experience,” said Greg Peters, the co-chief executive of Netflix. “By teaming up with France’s leading broadcaster we will provide French consumers with even more reasons to come to Netflix every day and to stay with us for all their entertainment.”

TF1 Group is a leading French media company, reaching 58 million monthly viewers through its broadcast channels and serving 35 million users on its own TF1+ online video platform. It is one of the two largest private broadcasters in France. In 2021, TF1 planned to merge with the rival M6 Group but this was abandoned because of anti-competition concerns.

Rodolphe Belmer, the chief executive of TF1 Group, who previously sat on the Netflix board, said: “As viewing habits shift toward on-demand consumption and audience fragmentation increases, this unprecedented alliance will enable our premium content to reach unparalleled audiences and unlock new reach for advertisers within an ecosystem that perfectly complements our TF1+ platform.”

No details of the financial arrangements were announced.

Amazon has been aggregating multiple services for years, but this is the first time that Netflix has done such a deal. It potentially paves the way for more partnerships between Netflix and traditional broadcasters. It may be more a matter of when rather than if such an approach is extended.

www.netflix.com
www.tf1.fr

ITV, Channel 4, and Sky, in collaboration with Comcast Advertising, are planning to launch an advertising marketplace that will allow easy access to online video advertising through a single campaign. For the first time, it will bring together addressable inventory from all three sales houses into a single marketplace.

Small to medium sized business will be able purchase advertising with biddable pricing to run in a single campaign across services sold through ITV Media, Channel 4 Sales, and Sky Media.

Together, these three sales houses control the majority of television advertising in the United Kingdom.

A simple interface will enable brands that are new to television to access the scale, trust, and creative power of television advertising, in a bid to compete with other forms of online advertising.

There is a commitment to providing clear metrics and reliable results, addressing the concern of a lack of transparency around some other forms of online advertising.

Providing simplified access across the three portfolios will make addressable TV inventory accessible for businesses that are used to buying their own media in social and digital environments.

The marketplace is set to launch in 2026 and will be powered by the Universal Ads platform from Comcast, which owns Sky, and FreeWheel, its advertising media and technology company.

The sales houses are also in discussions to simplify the purchase of addressable advertising by media agencies. This includes the possibility of a joint solution for agencies, based on the ITV Planet V system.

Kelly Williams, the managing director for commercial at ITV, said: “As a TV industry, it is important that we collaborate to make television easy to plan, buy and measure for our established customers as well as the huge potential of new to TV brands. Both of these initiatives, this new marketplace for SME’s and Planet V for agencies, represent a very exciting future.”

Rak Patel, chief commercial officer of Channel 4, said: “This marketplace underlines what sets TV apart from all other media: its ability to collaborate at scale. By uniting the power of Channel 4, ITV and Sky through a single marketplace, we’re creating a new home for premium video while accelerating our Fast Forward strategy to become the first public service streamer.”

Priya Dogra, the chief advertising officer at Sky, said: “In today’s fast-evolving media landscape, we strongly believe success will require collaboration, simplification, and innovation.”

www.itvmemedia.co.uk
www.4sales.com
www.skymedia.co.uk
www.comcastadvertising.com