For the third consecutive month, YouTube has outpaced all competitors to claim the largest share of total U.S. TV viewing, according to Nielsen’s April 2025 Media Distributor Gauge report.

The Google-owned video platform captured 12.4% of all TV viewing time in the U.S., marking its highest recorded percentage and a striking leap from its 9.6% share just one year ago. This unbroken ascent in the living room—a space traditionally dominated by broadcast and cable giants—cements YouTube’s evolving role at the center of American television consumption. Nielsen’s monthly report, which tracks cross-platform TV consumption, provides an authoritative pulse on how audiences are allocating their time across broadcast, cable, and streaming options.

A New Order in the Streaming Landscape

The April data underscores a broader trend: streaming platforms are not just catching up to linear networks; they are decisively overtaking them. Among major media companies, Disney trailed YouTube with a 10.7% share, followed by Paramount at 8.9%, NBCUniversal at 8.2%, and Netflix at 7.5%, as detailed by RouteNote. Notably, this marks the first time since Nielsen began tracking these metrics in November 2023 that company rankings remained static month-over-month, suggesting a maturing competitive environment where market positions are more firmly entrenched.

Disney’s robust performance, bolstered by the enduring appeal of “Grey’s Anatomy”—which amassed 3.9 billion watch minutes in April alone—helped it secure the runner-up position. Paramount, though further down the list, recorded the largest month-over-month growth at 0.4 percentage points, a noteworthy data point as streaming platforms vie for incremental gains in a crowded market.

Connected TV’s Surging Influence

YouTube’s climb is particularly significant against the backdrop of connected TV (CTV) proliferation. A report from StreamTV Insider notes that YouTube’s share among media companies in April 2024 was just 9.6%, highlighting the speed and magnitude of its expansion since then. This growth illustrates the platform’s increasing success in bringing mobile-centric creators and content natively to the largest screen in the home. As more Americans embrace CTV devices, YouTube’s strategy to blend user-generated, professional, and live content positions it as a uniquely adaptable competitor.

The Nielsen data also reveal that ad-supported platforms command a dominant 72.4% of total TV viewing—an ecosystem in which YouTube, with its blended ad-supported free tier, is exceptionally well-placed. Such figures suggest that consumer appetite for premium, ad-free experiences does not yet outweigh the sheer volume of content and convenience offered by ad-supported models.

Stability Signals Streaming Maturity

Industry insiders are closely watching the market’s apparent stabilization at the top, as the lack of movement in company rankings this quarter suggests entrenched viewing habits. According to RouteNote, this consistency is a first since the tracking began in late 2023, signaling that audiences may be settling into new long-term routines dominated by a handful of platforms.

With the mainstreaming of streaming, the competition is no longer about niche audiences or specialized content but about commanding a wide, persistent presence on every screen. YouTube’s dominance in the living room—a domain previously considered unreachable for a platform born on desktops and smartphones—speaks to the evolution of both consumer behavior and platform strategy.

Looking Ahead: Market Implications and Strategic Responses

For platform executives and industry analysts, YouTube’s sustained lead is more than a quarterly curiosity. It prompts pressing questions about market share redistribution, content acquisition strategy, and user engagement models for all players. As digital-native companies like YouTube solidify their positions, legacy media organizations must accelerate their own adaptation strategies—whether through licensing, original content investment, or technological innovation.

In summary, April’s Nielsen Media Distributor Gauge findings, as reported by publications such as RouteNote, StreamTV Insider, and TheWrap, highlight a pivotal inflection point in the ongoing transformation of American television. The data signal not only YouTube’s growing dominance but also the crystallizing order of the streaming universe—one that will define the competitive landscape for years to come.