Broadcast television's share of US TV viewing fell 2.0 points to 17.5% in August, according to Nielsen's August 2026 edition of The Gauge. Nielsen tied the drop largely to a steep fall in sports viewing once the FIFA World Cup ended.
Streaming claimed 49.6% of all TV viewing for the month, just short of half. It got there without growing. Streaming usage actually fell 3.2% from July. Total television usage dropped further, down 4.4% as the World Cup wrapped up and students went back to school, so streaming's share rose.
YouTube set a platform record at 15.8% of all TV viewing, with its monthly usage up 6%. Nielsen also reported a 9% increase in YouTube viewing among adults 50 and older. Netflix was next at 7.7%. Disney's streaming services, including Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, combined for 4.8%, and Amazon Prime Video had 4.2%. Disney's streaming group and Paramount Streaming each gained 0.1 share point.
Cable finished ahead of broadcast with 18.9%. Its share edged up even though cable usage fell 3%. The remaining 14% went to Nielsen's "other" category.
The Gauge is Nielsen's monthly snapshot of how total TV viewing splits among broadcast, cable, streaming and other sources. Broadcast's share tends to rise in the fall when football and new prime-time seasons return, so the September and October reports will show how much of the August loss TV stations win back.