Bad, Bad News for Broadcast TV

The long-predicted decline of broadcast television has reached a historic and troubling new low, with its audience share plummeting to unprecedented levels. The typical summer viewing dip has become a full-blown crisis for traditional networks this year. For the first time since Nielsen began tracking platform data, over-the-air broadcast television accounted for less than 20% of all viewing in June, hitting a meager 18.5%. This marks a significant drop from an already low 20.1% in May and represents what is likely an all-time nadir for the once-dominant medium.

While broadcast networks hemorrhage viewers, streaming platforms are thriving, particularly YouTube. Overall TV usage actually increased by 3% in June, a surge driven almost entirely by younger viewers on summer break. This new generation of viewers has overwhelmingly abandoned traditional channels. Streaming now commands a massive 46% of all TV use, beating the combined total of broadcast (18.5%) and cable (23.4%) for the second month in a row.

Within this streaming boom, YouTube continues its relentless growth, further cementing its position as a media titan. The platform expanded its share of all television viewing to 12.8%, consistently capturing more of the audience that is turning away from broadcast.

The demographic data tells the full story: viewers aged 6-17 increased their screen time by 27% in June, and a staggering two-thirds of that time was spent on streaming services. This fundamental shift in viewing habits signals that broadcast television's record-low numbers are not a temporary slump, but rather a clear sign of an accelerating and perhaps irreversible power shift in the media landscape.