Online video made up a record 46% of total television viewing in June in the United States, and that does not include linear streaming through multichannel services. YouTube was 12.8% of total television viewing, its highest share to date, while Netflix was 8.3%, slightly lower than its high of 8.6% in January. With the summer drop in traditional television viewing, its share fell to 41.9%, with broadcast channels falling to 18.5%.
Whatever you make of The Gauge report from Nielsen, it is internally consistent and shows a consistent trend in a shift to online viewing in the United States. The online share of total television viewing has increased by over 5% in a year.
A significant contribution to the growth of online viewing on television has come from YouTube, from just under 10% of viewing a year ago to 12.8% in June, which is getting on for as much as Netflix, Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu combined.
Meanwhile, traditional television viewing in the United States has fallen by the corresponding percentage, with cable channels down from 27.2% to 23.4%, and broadcast channels down from 20.5% to 18.5%, falling to below a fifth of viewing for the first time.
Children had more time to spend in from of the television in June, with usage among 6–17-year-olds up 27% compared to May, and online video accounted for two-thirds of their time spent with television. So total television usage across all viewers rose by 3% compared to the previous month, but traditional television lost share.