Nielsen has released its latest “Gauge” data update for August 2024, which has given us a broad overview of how Americans watch television. This includes linear and streaming services like Disney+ and Hulu.

August’s data has now been revealed, highlighting how streaming is now the most common way to watch television, but the impact of the Summer Olympics helped boost viewership, up 8% on July and 11.7% over this time last year.  It also resulted in Peacock’s overall usage drastically increasing.

Traditional linear television is still the most popular form of cable and broadcast television combined, but that number is continuing to shrink month after month as more people cut the cord and shift to streaming services.

“Bluey” was once again a huge hit for Disney+, generating over 4 billion viewing minutes to become the second most watched streaming title this month. The animated Australian import helped drive an 8% increase for the streamer, as Disney+ reached a platform high of 2.3% of TV in August. Some of the 8% boost can also be attributed to Hulu content available within the Disney+ platform to certain package subscribers.

Disney+ also had a great month in August, boosting its percentage of usage by 0.2%, which could be down to the inclusion of Hulu content, as by contrast, Hulu’s percentage dropped by 0.3%.   Disney+ is also likely still getting a boost from kids who are still home from school in August.

Over the past few months, Tubi’s usage has continued to grow, almost matching Disney+, but the free platform took a bit of a tumble in August, dropping back 0.3%. 

Roger’s Take:  These monthly snapshots from Nielsen give us a good indication of how Disney+ and Hulu are comparing to other streaming platforms in terms of viewership, though with the mix of free and paid platforms.  It also highlights how Netflix and YouTube continue to dominate, but when combined, Disney+ and Hulu make the third biggest streaming studio.

Did you watch Disney+ or Hulu more in August?  Let me know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

View all posts