More than seven out of every ten minutes Americans spent watching TV in the first quarter of 2025 was on ad-supported platforms, according to a new report from Nielsen. The data, revealed through the launch of Nielsen’s latest measurement tool, highlights a major shift in viewing behaviour and a growing opportunity for advertisers.
The new quarterly report, titled The Ad Supported Gauge, shows that 72.4% of total TV viewing came from platforms that deliver advertising, while only 27.6% was on ad-free services. The findings offer a detailed look at how audiences are consuming content across broadcast, cable, and streaming.
Streaming services led the ad-supported category with a 42.4% share, while traditional television, made up of cable and broadcast, held nearly equal portions at 28.9% and 28.7%, respectively. Together, cable and broadcast still make up 58% of all ad-supported TV viewing, underscoring their ongoing relevance in a fragmented media landscape.
The new report is an expansion of Nielsen’s widely followed Gauge series and arrives just ahead of the 2025 TV Upfronts, where networks and platforms showcase programming to advertisers. Nielsen says the new tool provides marketers and media buyers with deeper insights as they plan their ad strategies.
“As we head into the Upfronts, this additional layer of ad-focused measurement offers our clients a clearer understanding of where their audiences are,” said Karthik Rao, CEO of Nielsen.
The insights are powered by upgraded Streaming Platform Ratings and Nielsen’s proprietary Streaming Meter, available to clients on a subscription basis. The Ad Supported Gauge will be updated quarterly, with the next edition expected before the fall TV season.
