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

July’s data has now been revealed, highlighting how streaming is now the most common way to watch television, as July marked another record high in the share of TV usage by streaming for another straight month, now topping 41.4% of viewership.   Streaming levels were over 5% higher in July compared to June, leading streaming to grow its share.

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.

YouTube became the first streaming platform ever to exceed 10% of total TV usage in July.  “House of the Dragon” on Max topped streaming programs in July with 4.7 billion viewing minutes, also helping to drive an increase of over 4% for the streamer to retain its 1.4% share of TV. It was followed by “Bluey” on Disney+ with 4.3 billion viewing minutes in July.

It was revealed that Disney+ usage was up 9.2% this month, and it finished with a platform-best of 2.1% for TV.   However, Hulu’s overall usage dropped by 0.3% to 2.7%, which might have transferred to Disney+ due to the recent launch of Hulu On Disney+.  It will also no doubt be increased by the school holidays with more kids being home to watch TV.

Combined, Hulu and Disney+ have 4.8% of streaming viewership, which is below Netflix, but above Amazon Prime Video. 

Roger’s Take:  July was great for all streaming platforms, but seeing Disney+ continue to grow its usage is great. It is also interesting since there has been less original content being released, but the addition of Hulu On Disney+ will no doubt have helped.   It’ll be interesting to see if this continues as summer draws to a close.  I also can’t wait until Disney finally pulls the trigger to unify its streaming services, showcasing the true power of their combined studios in one platform.

Are you watching more Disney+ in the summer?  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

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