MOVIN’ ON UP

It Finally Happened: Streaming Platforms Surpassed Cable TV in July

Platforms like Hulu and Netflix had huge wins, including “Stranger Things” and “The Umbrella Academy.”

Americans are turning to streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu in larger numbers than ever seen before after the platforms surpassed cable for the first time. According to Nielsen figures, audiences spent more time watching streaming TV than cable in July, with subscription services including Netflix garnering 34.8 percent of TV consumption, compared to cable TV at 34.4 percent. The streaming numbers are a considerable rise from this time last year, when that figure stood at just 22.6 percent. July also broke the record for the highest-volume streaming weeks, with the average time spent streaming last month clocking 190.9 billion minutes per week. The last time it hit such a high was the week of Christmas in December 2021, with 183 billion minutes. Viewers spent 23 percent more time on the streaming services while cable and broadcast views were down. Cable dropped 8.9 percent drop from last year and dropped 2 percent from June.