US television viewing predominantly consists of content that includes commercial advertisements, as per Nielsen's latest findings.
In the second quarter of 2025, the television landscape underwent a series of changes, with some categories experiencing growth while others faced declines.
The cable category, riding high on the strong news cycle and broad coverage of the NBA playoffs, managed to maintain its share. However, it lost 0.2 share points compared to the previous quarter, marking a slight dip in viewership.
On the other hand, streaming platforms capitalised on the opportunity, gaining 2.9 share points compared to Q1. Most of the increase came from ad-supported broadcast, which saw a gain of 2.7 share points. This growth is particularly noteworthy given that media consumption typically decreases during Q2.
Ad-supported streaming held steady during this period, bucking the trend of decreased viewership. Nielsen's Ad Supported Gauge for Q2 2025 shows that content with ads accounted for 73.6% of overall TV viewing in the US, a testament to the continuing popularity of ad-supported content.
However, the non-ad supported component of TV viewing saw a drop, with its share decreasing to 26.4% in Q2. This shift towards ad-supported content could be a response to the wide array of new and returning shows available on streaming platforms, such as Love Island USA, Squid Game, Ginny & Georgia, Animal Kingdom, and Blindspot.
Meanwhile, overall viewing in Q2 was down by 9% compared to Q1, reflecting a general decrease in media consumption during the second quarter.
In the world of space, India's space race is heating up, with all categories in play. The country has stopped the launch of Starlink, a move that could potentially disrupt the US cellular sector, given Starlink's plans to compete with AST SpaceMobile for cellular consumers.
The business of SpaceX's Starship is projected to be valued at $2.5tn by 2030, further underscoring the importance of space in the global economy.
Elsewhere, the FCC claims they are dominating Space Race 2.0, while there is speculation that Starlink could disrupt the US Cellular sector. There is also uncertainty surrounding foreign Direct-to-Device satellites over India, adding another layer of complexity to the global space race.
In South Africa, the SABC is facing a potential complete collapse, a situation that could have far-reaching implications for the broadcasting industry in the region.
Despite the lack of specific data about which companies achieved the largest gains in the distribution of domestic TV content with advertising in the second quarter of 2025, it is clear that the TV landscape is undergoing significant changes. As streaming platforms continue to grow and cable viewership declines, the future of television is shaping up to be an exciting and dynamic space.
