Streaming Gains Ground as Ad-Supported TV Viewing Slips in Q2

Ad-supported television’s share of total viewing declined during the second quarter of 2026, even as streaming captured a larger portion of the audience available to advertisers, according to Nielsen’s latest Ad Supported Gauge.

Nielsen reported that programming carrying advertising represented 71.5% of total television viewing in Q2, down 1.3 share points from the first quarter. The measurement company characterized the decline as consistent with seasonal viewing patterns. Broadcast television typically loses viewing after the traditional TV season ends, while some premium sports programming also winds down across ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.

The seasonal decline did not affect every distribution category equally. Streaming gained 1.6 share points during the quarter and reached 48.2% of all ad-supported TV viewing, extending its lead over traditional television. Cable remained unchanged from the first quarter at 25.2%.

Broadcast viewing declined sequentially, but Nielsen said the decrease was less severe than during the same period a year earlier. The NBA playoffs and early World Cup coverage helped counter the usual seasonal weakness. Those sports events contributed to a year-over-year increase for broadcast, which accounted for 26.6% of ad-supported viewing in Q2 2026, compared with 26% in Q2 2025.

Audience age materially changed the distribution picture. Among viewers ages 18 and older, streaming’s share was 44.4%, or 3.8 points below its share among Nielsen’s broader Persons 2+ audience. Broadcast increased to 28.6% for adults, while cable rose to 27%. The difference shows that traditional television retained a stronger position among adult viewers than the topline figures alone suggest.

For advertisers, agencies, networks and streaming platforms, the business stake is not simply that ad-supported viewing declined seasonally. ConsumerEXP analysis: Nielsen’s results show advertising inventory continuing to migrate toward streaming while broadcast remains capable of improving its relative position through high-value live sports. Age-based differences also reinforce the need to evaluate audience composition rather than treating all ad-supported impressions as interchangeable.

Nielsen cautioned that the published Ad Supported Gauge has not yet moved to Advertising Research Foundation DASH-based media-related universe estimates. The company expects that methodology change in the fall and said it could produce results that differ from the currently published figures.