Live TV Viewing Declines as Streaming Shifts

Live sports remain a cornerstone of TV programming, drawing large audiences, but a new survey from Attest’s sixth annual “U.S. Media Consumption Report” reveals a continued decline in live TV viewership, especially among younger consumers. 

The report, which examines U.S. consumption of television, audio, news, and social media, shows that 56% of consumers watch three or more hours of TV daily in 2025, down from 61% in 2024 and 63% in 2023. The 50–67 age group is the most dedicated, with 66% watching at least three hours daily.

Live TV viewership has taken the biggest hit: 28% of consumers report watching no live TV on an average day, up from 24% in 2024 and 20% in 2023. Among those under 30, 41% typically avoid live TV, compared to 27% of 31–49-year-olds and 20% of those over 50. Younger viewers who do watch live TV tend to limit it to 30 minutes to one hour daily.

Streaming viewership has also shifted, with a 4% drop in those watching three or more hours daily and a rise in one- to two-hour sessions. A third of consumers now stream for one to two hours daily, with under-30s leading: 25% stream for one to two hours, and another 25% for three to four hours.

Among streaming platforms, Netflix regained 2% of weekly viewers after a 9% drop last year, reaching 64% weekly viewership. Prime Video and Disney+ saw the most growth, each up 4% to 49% and 35%, respectively, with Prime Video hitting its highest weekly viewership since Attest began tracking. Max lost 4% of weekly viewers, falling to 25%, while Apple TV+ remains at 12%. Younger viewers (18–30) dominate Netflix (77%), Hulu (57%), and Disney+ (46%), while 31–49-year-olds lead for Prime Video (55.5%), Paramount+ (31%), YouTube TV (19%), and Apple TV+ (13.5%). Peacock, Apple TV+, and Sling show even age distribution.

Digital news consumption is also declining among 18–30-year-olds, with 41% accessing it weekly (down 7% from last year) and 20% reading digital magazines weekly. Conversely, over-50s are engaging more, with 66% accessing digital news weekly (up 6%) and 20% reading digital magazines (up 4%). The 31–49 age group leads in digital magazine consumption, with 27% accessing it weekly.