YouTube’s Television Dominance
As major SVOD platforms continue to compete for dominance in the streaming market, YouTube has strengthened its lead in 2024 as the most-watched platform on Connected TV (CTV) in the United States, establishing itself as the top choice on large screens.
According to Nielsen data, YouTube reached a 12.5% share of total U.S. CTV viewing time in May, significantly surpassing its closest competitor, Disney. This milestone reflects a broader shift in viewer behavior, increasingly oriented toward content consumed via smart TVs or devices such as Roku and Fire TV.
The change is striking when compared to 2020, when less than 30% of YouTube viewing took place on TV. By 2024, that figure had risen to nearly 40%, according to data collected by Digital i and shared by Wurl with the Variety Intelligence Platform. This trend was further validated by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, who announced in February that as of December 2024, TVs have overtaken mobile devices as the primary way people in the U.S. watch YouTube.
One key driver of this shift has been increased adoption among older demographics. Among users over 35, 46% of YouTube viewing occurs on CTV, compared to just 23% for those under 35. According to Dave Bernath, General Manager Americas at Wurl, “the 65+ age group is currently the fastest-growing demographic on YouTube.”
In response to this evolution, YouTube is adapting its platform to better suit the TV environment, with a redesigned app interface that allows creators to organize their content into episodes and seasons—bringing it closer to an SVOD model. Despite the platform’s emphasis on YouTube Shorts to compete with TikTok, the algorithm continues to prioritize long-form content.
In 2024, 60% of YouTube sessions on CTV lasted more than 30 minutes, with nearly 10% exceeding three hours. Roughly half of all videos played on TV were longer than 11 minutes, signaling a growing preference for structured, long-duration content.
With its increasingly central role in the television landscape, YouTube now poses a significant challenge to other players in the industry, competing not only for viewer attention but also for a larger share of advertising revenue.
source: Variety VIP+
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As major SVOD platforms continue to compete for dominance in the streaming market, YouTube has strengthened its lead in 2024 as the most-watched platform on Connected TV (CTV) in the United States, establishing itself as the top choice on large screens.
According to Nielsen data, YouTube reached a 12.5% share of total U.S. CTV viewing time in May, significantly surpassing its closest competitor, Disney. This milestone reflects a broader shift in viewer behavior, increasingly oriented toward content consumed via smart TVs or devices such as Roku and Fire TV.
The change is striking when compared to 2020, when less than 30% of YouTube viewing took place on TV. By 2024, that figure had risen to nearly 40%, according to data collected by Digital i and shared by Wurl with the Variety Intelligence Platform. This trend was further validated by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, who announced in February that as of December 2024, TVs have overtaken mobile devices as the primary way people in the U.S. watch YouTube.
One key driver of this shift has been increased adoption among older demographics. Among users over 35, 46% of YouTube viewing occurs on CTV, compared to just 23% for those under 35. According to Dave Bernath, General Manager Americas at Wurl, “the 65+ age group is currently the fastest-growing demographic on YouTube.”
In response to this evolution, YouTube is adapting its platform to better suit the TV environment, with a redesigned app interface that allows creators to organize their content into episodes and seasons—bringing it closer to an SVOD model. Despite the platform’s emphasis on YouTube Shorts to compete with TikTok, the algorithm continues to prioritize long-form content.
In 2024, 60% of YouTube sessions on CTV lasted more than 30 minutes, with nearly 10% exceeding three hours. Roughly half of all videos played on TV were longer than 11 minutes, signaling a growing preference for structured, long-duration content.
With its increasingly central role in the television landscape, YouTube now poses a significant challenge to other players in the industry, competing not only for viewer attention but also for a larger share of advertising revenue.
source: Variety VIP+
Share:
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