Nielsen has released the latest edition of the Ad Supported Gauge, which found that the total share of ad-supported TV is holding steady in Q1 2026, representing nearly 73 per cent of overall TV viewing across the US.

From a category perspective, streaming captured a record-high 46.6 per cent share of ad-supported TV, driven by seasonal events including NBCU’s Super Bowl simulcast, Olympics coverage on Peacock, Prime Video’s NFL playoff games, and additional episodes of blockbuster series such as Stranger Things on Netflix, Landman on Paramount+ and The Pitt (pictured) on HBO Max.

Additional highlights:

• Overall, sports continue to be a driving force behind the consistently high share of ad supported TV. The fourth quarter, with its blockbuster sports schedule, retained the high water mark for share of ad supported TV, but there is less than a 1.8 share point difference between the highest and lowest quarter.
• Coming off a five-quarter high in Q4, broadcast captured a 28.2 per cent share in Q1, down 1.4 share points from last quarter and down 0.5 points year-over-year.
• Cable rebounded to a 25.2 per cent share (up 0.4 points from Q4), driven by the February 2026 Olympics and its traditional March Madness ratings surge.

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Tags: HBO Max, netflix, NFL, nielsen, Stranger Things