Nielsen's latest monthly Gauge report shows streaming reached 48.5% of total TV viewing in June. It's a big number, and it gets repeated in a lot of planning meetings as proof that the budget should follow.

But total viewing includes a lot of time advertisers can't buy. When you look at the viewing that actually carries ads, the picture looks different.

01 | Total Viewing Isn't Buyable Viewing

The monthly Gauge counts everything on the TV screen, including ad-free subscription streaming.

Nielsen's quarterly Ad Supported Gauge looks only at viewing that includes advertising. In the second quarter of 2026, ad-supported TV made up 71.5% of all viewing. Within that ad-supported slice, broadcast held a 26.6% share, streaming 48.2% and cable 25.2%.

For a media buyer, that's the more useful map. It shows where ad-supported attention actually lives.

02 | Live Sports Moved Broadcast Up, Not Down

Broadcast's ad-supported share rose to 26.6% in Q2, up from 26.0% a year earlier. Nielsen credited major live events, including the NBA playoffs and early World Cup coverage.

That's the pattern worth remembering. When something big happens live, audiences still gather on broadcast. And the fourth quarter is packed with those moments: NFL football, college football, the College Football Playoff and, in February, the Super Bowl on ABC.

03 | Adults Watch Differently Than the Headline Suggests

Nielsen also broke out adults 18 and older. For that group, streaming's ad-supported share drops to 44.4%, while broadcast rises to 28.6% and cable to 27.0%.

Most advertisers are trying to reach adults who make purchasing decisions. Planning from the all-ages headline can quietly underweight the platforms those adults use most.

04 | The Answer Is a Mix, Not a Switch

None of this means streaming doesn't matter. It clearly does, and it keeps growing.

It means the right plan uses each platform for what it does best. Broadcast delivers fast, trusted reach, especially around live moments. Streaming extends that reach and adds flexibility. Together they cover more of your audience than either one alone.

Read the Data Like a Buyer

Headlines measure what people watch. Media plans should measure what people watch with ads, in the demographic you're trying to reach. That shift in perspective can change where your next dollar goes.

Connect with Hearst Pittsburgh to see how broadcast, streaming and digital can work together in your next campaign.

Sources: MediaPost: Streaming climbs to 48.5% · Nielsen Q2 2026 Ad Supported Gauge