Streaming Reaches Historic TV Milestone — and Here’s What That Could Mean for the Future
Let's dive into my thoughts on Subscription Video on Demand services, like YouTube, Netflix and Disney+, taking over the television landscape
Hello,
Welcome back to my newsletter — my safe space to talk about all the things on my mind in entertainment and pop culture. I created The Diamond Report: TV Digest to share all of my thoughts on my favorite and latest television obsessions. Now, while I think (almost) every TV show that I watch is amazing, nothing quite proves that like the ratings.
In May 2025, streaming platforms hit a major milestone since the birth of YouTube in 2005 and Netflix in 2007. Today, we are diving into that data, talking about some of my favorite shows on each platform and tapping into my opinion on the SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) revolution.
The television world has been going through a cosmic shift since the introduction of streaming platforms in 2005. There used to be a time when people would crowd in front of their television screens with a plate of food and a nice, cold drink, poised to enjoy anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour of content. Nowadays, the landscape has changed and only few series — like Abbott Elementary and the Power franchise — invoke that same reaction.
Long gone are the days when people had to experience the thrill of rushing home and sitting down on the couch just in time for the new episode of their favorite show to premiere. That feeling is now dulled and replaced with the continuous push of a button for the next episode.
Data from the May 2025 Nielsen’s The Gauge report shows this exact change. According to the report, subscription video on demand (SVOD) services, such as Netflix, YouTube and Disney+, represented 44.8 percent of viewing time, overtaking the combined tally of 44.1 percent for both broadcast (20.1 percent) and cable (24.1 percent).
YouTube and Netflix, the original streaming houses, claimed 20 percent of the overall streaming viewership, with 12.5 percent and 7.5 percent respectively. Disney+, the home of all things family and superheroes, snagged the third place spot with 5 percent of the viewership. Prime Video — also known as the space where anything goes — secured 3.5 percent of streaming viewership.
Streaming services, like Roku Channel, Paramount+, Tubi, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Peacock, held a small slice of viewership, totaling 9.8 percent. Other platforms, such as gaming, physical media playback, some on-demand viewing, made up the remaining 6.5 percent of viewership.
What Does This Mean?
The data from the report explicitly shows that people are watching their shows differently than they have in the past.
The major milestone for streaming coincides with the four-year anniversary of Nielsen’s The Gauge report, which launched in May 2021 with the aim to qualify how people spend time watching television. When comparing TV usage in May 2021 and May 2025, streaming usage has increased by 71 percent, rising as a dominant viewing format.
While broadcast and cable viewing have declined (down 21% and 39%, respectively, compared with May 2021), traditional TV has shown resilience in the ever-changing media landscape. It by no means is going away anytime soon, and the findings in this report are not permanent. Traditional TV can bounce back, especially in the fall with the football season returning.
While viewership is constantly fluctuating, the data is showing clear signs that streaming is steadily on the rise.
My Thoughts on the Streaming Revolution
It’s no secret that I love TV. At any given moment, I’m probably watching about 4 to 5 shows at a time. It’s my little (crazy) obsession. So, this may come as a shock to many of my readers when I say, I hate binge watching shows.
There was something special about the days when I would look forward to watching a show every week at a specific time, blocking out an hour to devote all my attention to the lives of the characters on the screen. The trailers for the series (yes, I too was enamored by Degrassi’s season 10 trailer) and the upcoming episodes were paramount in holding me over until the next episode. And, then after I watched the episode, I had a few days to actively digest the content, theorize on what was coming next, talk to people about it and prepare to do it all again the following week. It was pure bliss.
But, now with content constantly dropping on different networks and streaming platforms, there’s no time to truly enjoy every part of the show. Once you finish one show, there’s something else to watch immediately after. There’s no breathing room between the content, and it can be overwhelming to watch so many shows all at once.
While I may not be the biggest fan of streaming, I can acknowledge that there are some benefits to the shift in the industry. Television now is like being in an all you can eat buffet, with endless options to try and indulge in. From competition shows, like Squid Game: The Challenge and The Mole, to quirky dramas, like Severance and Succession, there’s a show for every mood that you are in.
I wish I could say that another benefit of the new streaming revolution is that there is more space for Black creatives to tell their own authentic stories, but unfortunately those shows are typically canceled before they have the opportunity to soar (yes, I’m referring to Run the World, Sweet Life and Poppa’s House). But, I digress. That’s a topic for another day.
My Top Picks Per Streaming Platform
Again, I will reiterate that it’s not a secret that I love TV. So, in honor of this huge streaming milestone, here are some of my favorite shows per platform.
Netflix - The OG Streaming Juggernaut
Netflix is the OG on the streaming block, so it has a tried-and-true formula on what shows hit and miss for their audience. The streaming service has a nice mixture of original series, book-to-series content, drama-filled binges and competition shows.
With series across genres, like You, Bridgerton, From Scratch, Nobody Wants This and Forever, there’s no shortage of quality, diverse(-ish) content to go around. Netflix also does a good job at providing the mess, with reality shows, like Young, Famous & African, Love Is Blind, The Ultimatum and The Perfect Match. For those who thrive off of a good competition show like myself, the streamer has Squid Game: The Challenge, The Mole and Trust.
Prime Video - The Service for the Unhinged
On the platform where anything is allowed comes several groundbreaking — and mostly grotesque — series. From the brilliant mind of Supernaturals’ Eric Kripke, there’s the world of The Boys and Gen V. The two hit dramas will soon be joined by the Jensen Ackles and Aya Cash-led prequel series Vought Rising, which promises to be a twisted murder mystery that’s just as deranged an its predecessors.
The unhinged streamer also houses animated series from the mind of Hollywood’s favorite Jewish pothead Seth Rogen, including Invincible and Sausage Party: Foodtopia (I did binge the Sausage Party series, and I am not ashamed).
For those who love a good vampire series, Prime Video subscribers who have the AMC+ extension can enjoy the world of Louis De Pointe du Lac and the Vampire Lestat in Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire.
Disney+ - The House of All Things Superheroes and Nostalgia
I proudly boast that I am one of the original supporters of Disney+. As a certified Marvel fanatic, this is actually a platform that I pay for. From all of the new Marvel series to the nostalgic Disney shows, this is the platform for my inner child.
Apple TV+ - The High Class Streaming Service
While Apple usually can come in and take over anything, their streaming service didn’t have that same energy. It’s been a slow-burn since they joined the streaming game, albeit later than most. However, their content library is filled with tons of original gems, like Rogen’s smash episodic comedy hit The Studio.
From The Morning Show, an insight into the crazy world of broadcast journalism set to release it’s fourth season featuring Aaron Pierre in September, to Severance, a show from the mind of Ben Stiller that thrives off of its quirky originality, there’s no shortage of quality content.
The only problem that Apple TV+ has is its lack of promotion, which to me translates into a lack of belief, of its own content. It’s almost like the service runs off of word of mouth and promotes itself as strictly for the elite. They don’t tell people that an Apple TV+ subscription comes with every student Apple Music subscription or that they have content worth paying for.
Max (or HBO Max) - The Streamer Still Figuring Out What It Wants to Be
Max, or HBO Max depending on the month, is the home for movie-like series, along with Oscar award-winning movies. Whenever I watch a show on the streamer, I instantly feel like I’ve been transported to an IMax theater, complete with nachos and cheese and a large drink.
This streaming platform revived my faith in medical dramas, proving that they aren’t dead with the intense perfection that is The Pitt. I fully believed that I was clocking into work and going through the motions of a busy day in the emergency room with Noah Wyle’s Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch.
Peacock - The Home of One-Hit Wonders
I’m going to be honest. I don’t watch Peacock often, and based on the report, I don’t think anyone truly does. However, the streaming service does have a couple of one-offs that you have to have a subscription to tune into — namely Love Island USA and (I guess) Bel-Air.
Hulu - The Granny Streamer with Everything In Its Bag
Hulu, to me, is a streaming service with no real personality. Despite it being founded in 2007, the service hasn’t really been able to generate the attention of other streaming houses. It’s the one that you know is there and has a little bit of everything, but if you miss a show on there, you’ll be okay because the content is not always the strongest and you can usually find it somewhere else.
It does have some standouts, like The Handmaid’s Tale, Reasonable Doubt and Only Murders in the Building, that are throughly enjoyable as long as you can withstand the ads. Hulu also has all of Modern Family and is a place for you to catch up on hit network television, like Abbott Elementary.
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