YouTube tops streaming as Disney steps back in Nielsen’s latest report

Recent data from Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge proves it’s still too early to reliably predict who is coming out on top in the streaming wars – with winners largely being defined by their biggest programming pushes.YouTube leads the pack: According to the report, YouTube accounted for nearly 12% of overall TV watching time for the month of February, outpacing every other platform. This is YouTube’s highest share on record and the second time it has topped Nielsen’s rankings since mid-2023. Parent company Alphabet attributed $10.5 billion in ad revenue from YouTube alone in Q4 2024, boosted by its premium, ad-supported content.The full scope: Nielsen’s measurements capture only YouTube’s ad-supported content on connected TVs, which excludes YouTube TV and mobile viewing. Sports content played a role in the ascent, with YouTube reporting 30% YoY growth on CTVs. Podcast consumption in the living room has also become a factor, as audiences now spend more than 400 million hours per month watching podcast-related video on YouTube.Disney’s decline: Meanwhile, Disney’s reach dropped month-over-month, following what had been its best performance to date. The good times were propelled by NFL games and the College Football Playoffs, but February’s dip pushed Disney out of the top slot for only the third time since Nielsen began tracking these metrics.Audience evolution: Demographics are shifting, with Nielsen’s data showing viewership by adults aged 65+ nearly doubled over the past two years. That brings the share of YouTube’s audience on TV devices above 15% for the first time, rivaling its reach with kids aged 2–11, who account for just under 17%. The report suggests YouTube is reaching a broader base of viewers, including traditionally underserved age groups using new-media platforms.

YouTube Leads Nielsen Streaming Report for February 2025

Recent data from Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge reinforces that the streaming wars are far from settled. No single platform has emerged as a clear winner, with performance often tied to major programming events or exclusive content releases.

Why the Streaming Wars Still Lack a Clear Winner

YouTube continues to dominate in connected TV (CTV) usage, capturing nearly 12% of total TV watching time in February 2025 — its highest monthly share on record and the second time it has led Nielsen’s streaming rankings since mid-2023.Parent company Alphabet Inc. reported $10.5 billion in ad revenue from YouTube during Q4 2024, driven largely by ad-supported streaming content and offerings like YouTube Premium.

YouTube’s Rise: CTV Growth, Ad Revenue & Content Strategy

It’s important to note that Nielsen’s measurement scope includes only YouTube’s ad-supported content on connected TVs, excluding YouTube TV and mobile viewing.Despite those limitations, sports content was a key driver of growth, with YouTube seeing 30% year-over-year growth on CTVs. Additionally, podcast-related video content is gaining traction in the living room, with viewers spending over 400 million hours monthly watching podcasts on YouTube.

What Nielsen Measures — And What It Doesn’t

Disney’s reach declined month-over-month, despite having achieved its best-ever performance just one month prior. That high point was fueled by major sporting events like the NFL playoffs and the College Football Playoff, which temporarily boosted engagement.However, without similar event-driven content in February, Disney fell out of the top spot — only the third time this has occurred since Nielsen started publishing its Media Distributor Gauge.

Disney’s Drop: From Record Highs to Monthly Dip

One of the most notable findings from Nielsen’s report is the shift in audience demographics. Viewership among adults aged 65+ has nearly doubled over the past two years, pushing YouTube’s audience share on TV devices above 15% for the first time.This growing older adult segment now rivals YouTube’s long-standing strength with kids aged 2–11, who make up just under 17% of the platform’s TV-based audience. The data indicates that new-media platforms like YouTube are expanding beyond traditional younger-skewing demographics and reaching older, underserved age groups.