YouTube's U.S. television viewership reached a record 11.1% share of total TV watch time in December 2024, according to Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge data. This represents a 7% increase from the previous month, surpassing competitors Netflix (8.5%) and Prime Video (4%).


The 11.1% share excludes YouTube TV's linear streaming service, which reportedly has over eight million subscribers in the United States. When including YouTube TV viewership, the platform's total share is even higher.

This growth is particularly notable in the video podcast sector, where YouTube has overtaken Spotify as the leading platform in the U.S. Users watched over 400 million hours of podcasts monthly on living room devices in 2024, demonstrating significant traction in the TV viewing space.

Spotify's response includes:

• Launch of a video-podcast Partner Program
• Revenue sharing for eligible creators
• Expanded content moderation efforts
• Investment in video content capabilities

However, Spotify faces several challenges:

• Growing pains in content moderation
• Unauthorized content uploads
• Difficulty in classifying video podcast content
• Significant gap to close with YouTube's established viewing share

The data suggests YouTube's dominance in video consumption continues to strengthen, particularly in television viewing and video podcasting, while competitors work to establish their presence in these growing markets.

Note: The video consumption landscape is competitive, with YouTube maintaining its lead through strong viewing metrics and established market presence, particularly in the living room environment where traditional TV viewing habits intersect with digital content consumption.

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