Insights
September 05, 2025
What percentage of U.S. TV time is ad‑supported vs. ad‑free?
Most TV time in the U.S. is ad‑supported. Here’s what that means for small businesses.
Table of Contents
Most TV watching happens in ad‑supported environments. That includes streaming services, cable, and broadcast, so when your customers watch TV, they’re seeing commercials. Here’s what the latest numbers mean and why it matters for small businesses.
What the data shows
In Q2 2025, ad‑supported content accounted for 73.6% of all U.S. TV viewing (up +1.2 points vs. Q1).
Within ad‑supported TV, streaming led the mix, followed by cable and broadcast.
Nearly three out of every four TV minutes include ads, giving local brands room to grow on premium channels.
Why it matters for your business
The takeaway is simple: your customers are seeing ads when they watch TV, especially on streaming. You no longer need a national budget to be there. With targeted TV, small businesses can reach local audiences on major channels for as little as $50 a month.
Supporting stats
Ad‑supported viewing climbed 1.2 percentage points vs. Q1 2025 (from 72.4% to 73.6%), even as overall TV viewing dipped 9% quarter‑over‑quarter.
Within ad‑supported viewing in Q2: streaming made up roughly 45.3%, cable around 28.7%, and broadcast around 26.0%.
May 2025 was a milestone: streaming first topped broadcast + cable combined. Ad‑supported streaming is now the largest single driver of ad‑funded TV.
Get started with TV advertising
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