Arpeggio ResearchInsightsViewership

Audiences Have Moved. Ad Budgets Haven't.

Abstract

Streaming now accounts for nearly half of all US TV viewing, but ad dollars are still catching up. A look at the gap, and how fast it is closing.

Viewing has already shifted

Streaming now accounts for nearly half of all U.S. TV viewing. In Nielsen's July 2026 Gauge report, streaming reached 49.0% of total TV time, up from 38.1% in December 2022, while broadcast and cable combined fell to 38.2%. Compared with broadcast and cable alone, streaming now holds about 56% of viewing.

Two donut charts comparing share of total U.S. TV viewing in December 2022 versus July 2026. Streaming grows from 38.1% to 49%, broadcast falls from 24.7% to 19.5%, cable falls from 30.9% to 18.7%, and other rises from 6.3% to 12.8%. — Share of total U.S. TV viewing, December 2022 vs. July 2026. Source: Nielsen, The Gauge.

Advertising dollars are shifting more slowly

eMarketer forecasts $38.4 billion in U.S. CTV ad spend in 2026, compared with $48.0 billion for linear TV. That gives streaming 44.4% of TV ad dollars, about 12 points below its share of viewing.

The gap is narrowing

eMarketer projects CTV spending will pass linear TV in 2027, reaching 50.4% of TV ad dollars, and 59.4% by 2029.

Stacked bar chart of U.S. TV ad spending by year from 2024 to 2029, showing connected TV (CTV) spend rising and linear TV spend falling, with CTV surpassing linear TV in 2027. — Source: eMarketer forecast, "Connected TV Ad Spending Will Surpass Linear TV in 2027."

What this means for marketers

For marketers, the takeaway is timing. Viewing has already shifted, and spending is expected to follow over the next few years.

Sources: Nielsen, The Gauge, July 2026; eMarketer, US Linear TV and CTV Ad Spending, 2024–2029.

← Back to research