蘑菇AV

Streaming captured 47.3% of US TV viewing in July, a record share that underscores the medium鈥檚 dominance as linear declines. YouTube rose to 13.4% of TV use, its highest level yet, while Netflix surged 5% month-over-month to 8.8%, leading the top 10 streaming titles. The Roku Channel and Peacock also hit records, fueled by strong franchises and creator-driven content. Meanwhile, cable slid to 22.2% and broadcast fell to a new low of 18.4%. With YouTube and Netflix now equaling cable鈥檚 share, streaming has become the default destination for mass viewing鈥攅ven as subscription fatigue looms.

ESPN has launched its long-awaited direct-to-consumer subscription app, consolidating 12 networks and sports rights under one platform. Two tiers鈥擡SPN Select at $11.99/month and ESPN Unlimited at $29.99/month鈥攐ffer up to 79,000 live events annually, with Unlimited subscribers gaining access to marquee programming like Monday Night Football and NBA games. A Disney+/Hulu bundle is also available for $35.99/month, discounted in year one. Features include multiview, betting tools, live stats, fantasy integrations, and an AI-powered personalized SportsCenter. The move signals an existential reset for ESPN, aiming to convert cable loyalists and younger fans while stabilizing growth in a cord-cutting era.

Local TV ad spending is forecast to hit $17.27 billion in 2025, with $13.32 billion coming from broadcast and $3.94 billion from cable. Nexstar argues that consolidation will allow broadcasters to protect this revenue pool by offering greater scale to advertisers and leverage against distributors.

The news: TV ad-supported viewing time grew 2% overall in Q2 across linear and streaming, reaching 73.6% of total time spent watching TV, per Nielsen鈥攍argely driven by streaming. Ad-supported streaming grew 7% to a 45.3% share鈥攂ut broadcast and cable continued a downward trend. Our take: As streaming solidifies its lead in ad-supported viewership, the smartest advertisers will recognize that success hinges on striking a delicate balance of using streaming鈥檚 precision to target key audiences that are shifting to CTV, while leveraging linear鈥檚 scale and ability to drive action.

The news: NBCUniversal is exploring a dedicated sports cable network that would feature content鈥攊ncluding NBA games鈥攕hown on its Peacock streaming service, per a Wall Street Journal report. Our take: Launching a dedicated sports cable channel could help NBCU open the door to new ad inventory and bolster its cable revenues as traditional TV faces mounting pressure from the streaming transition. Live sports continues to command strong advertiser demand, even as general linear viewership declines.The channel will enable NBCU to better monetize its existing sports rights by repackaging content for cable audiences who might be losing interest in traditional TV.

The news: Xfinity unveiled its StreamStore on Wednesday, raising the stakes in the connected TV (CTV) arms race by aggregating 450 apps and 200,000 titles with integrated billing. The one-stop interface turns Xfinity into a centralized gateway鈥攍ess a cable provider, more a streaming superstore, per Variety. Our take: CTV consolidation will streamline ad strategies, surfacing opportunities to tap bundles like StreamSaver for targeted sponsorships, co-branded campaigns, and contextual placements. It will also engage viewers across multiple services while reducing subscription fatigue. Advertisers will likely scramble to secure premium placements and test integrated campaigns within StreamStore鈥檚 bundled ecosystem before competition intensifies.

The news: Streaming has officially surpassed pay TV in the US, with 50.4% of households no longer subscribing to cable or satellite, per our forecast. But streaming鈥檚 ad experience still has work to do. Hub Research finds two-thirds of viewers prefer live TV ad breaks over those in on-demand streaming, and Gen Z remains the least likely to adopt ad-supported tiers. Our take: Streaming isn鈥檛 a free pass to interrupt. Gen Z demands relevance, brevity, and control鈥攎eaning streaming platforms must reengineer how, when, and where they serve ads. The format must evolve if AVOD is to survive the next wave of viewer expectations.

Declines in linear TV viewers, time spent with linear, and the number of linear addressable TV households, combined with streaming services outpacing traditional TV subscription revenues, makes it unclear whether linear ad spend will continue growing.

The news: WhatsApp will begin showing ads for the first time since Meta鈥檚 2014 acquisition, starting with the Updates tab鈥檚 Status feature. Sponsored search placements and optional paid subscriptions will also be added to WhatsApp Channels. Ads won鈥檛 appear in encrypted chats or groups, and targeting will rely only on minimal metadata unless users opt in to link accounts. Our take: Meta is threading a careful line鈥攎onetizing WhatsApp while keeping privacy promises intact. With over 3 billion global users and deep consumer trust, the platform鈥檚 subtle shift into ads and subscriptions could deliver big returns if Meta avoids sparking user backlash over commercialization.

The news: Streaming watch time outpaced cable and broadcast combined for the first time ever. Streaming accounted for 44.8% of TV viewing in May, per Nielsen, compared with broadcast鈥檚 20.1% and cable鈥檚 24.1%.Our take: With TV viewership increasingly fragmented, advertisers that abandon cable and broadband entirely could leave many consumers behind. Brands should use a hybrid placement model that makes selective investments in linear TV while using streaming to reach younger cord-cutters, helping to retain flexibility as user habits fluctuate.

The news: Charter Communications Inc. will merge with rival Cox Communications, bringing together two major cable providers, the companies announced Friday. The transaction, which 鈥渨ill create an industry leader in mobile and broadband communications services, seamless video entertainment, and high-quality customer service,鈥� values Cox Communications at about $34.5 billion.

Comcast gives details on its spinout of several NBCU cable networks: As Peacock takes center stage, legacy TV networks must adapt to stay relevant.