Following the 2025 Upfronts and NewFronts, Nielsen’s latest analysis confirms that linear television continues to command a majority share of ad-supported viewing, even as the streaming landscape grows more fragmented and competitive. According to Nielsen’s Ad Supported Gauge, traditional broadcast and cable together captured 57.6% of ad-supported TV consumption, compared to 42.4% for streaming services. This distribution reinforces the enduring relevance of linear platforms for advertisers seeking broad reach, especially in live and event-based programming.
Linear and streaming are no longer competing in isolation. Increasingly, media companies are leveraging a hybrid approach to maximize audience engagement and monetization. NBCUniversal’s strategy for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which combined live streaming via Peacock with traditional primetime programming on NBC, resulted in significant year-over-year viewership growth across platforms. This multi-platform model was similarly successful for CBS’s drama “Fire Country,” which saw a 55% bump in viewership for its third season on Paramount+ after earlier seasons became available on Netflix. These cases illustrate how streaming can amplify linear success and vice versa.
The top streaming rankings have also diversified. While Netflix used to dominate the upper echelons of audience share, recent data shows that seven different companies are now represented among the most-watched streaming assets. This shift signals a more competitive market where no single player can claim overwhelming dominance, presenting both opportunities and challenges for platforms and advertisers.
Live sports remains a cornerstone of engagement across both linear and streaming. In 2024, sports accounted for nearly 20% of total linear viewing among adults aged 25 to 54. On the streaming side, platforms are increasingly investing in sports content to drive traffic and stickiness. Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” averaged more than 14 million viewers, while Netflix set a new benchmark with its Christmas Day NFL games contributing to an all-time record of 50 billion streaming minutes in a single day.
Another clear trend is the role of culturally inclusive content in capturing diverse demographics. Nielsen reports that services like Netflix and YouTube collectively account for about one-third of television viewing time among Hispanic and Asian audiences. With an expanding catalog of multilingual programming and regionally resonant narratives, these platforms are strategically positioned to tap into the growing demand for representative content.
Overall, the 2025 media buying season has highlighted an evolving equilibrium between linear and digital ecosystems. While streaming continues to grow in scope and sophistication, linear TV retains strategic value—especially in live, ad-supported, and appointment-based viewing. For content producers, distributors, and advertisers, the key will be balancing platform-specific strengths with cross-channel synergies that amplify audience reach and revenue potential.
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