November TV And Streaming Use Surges to Historic Highs, Driven By Live Sports And Netflix Hit Series
Table of Contents
- 1. November TV And Streaming Use Surges to Historic Highs, Driven By Live Sports And Netflix Hit Series
- 2. About The Gauge
- 3. Executive Insight: What This Means For Viewers And Brands
- 4. Key november 2025 Metrics
- 5. I’m not sure what you’d like me too do wiht the information you pasted.Could you let me know what you need?
New York – December 16, 2025 – Nielsen’s Gauge for November reveals a milestone month for total TV and streaming consumption. The five-week period saw a 5.5% rise in overall television usage, as live sports propelled Broadcast to its strongest share since the prior November and fueled double-digit growth for cross-platform players like Peacock and Paramount+.
Thanksgiving Day stood out as the month’s centerpiece, with viewers clocking 103.4 billion minutes of TV. Linear streaming accounted for 10.1% of total TV usage on the holiday, the second-highest daily level ever, trailing only the Super Bowl in February 2025. Across the month, linear streaming represented 7.8% of total TV usage. Thanksgiving also marked the 10th-most-watched day since The Gauge launched in May 2021.
Broadcast finished November up 7% from October, commanding 23.2% of total TV usage and outpacing cable for a third consecutive month. The gains were led by a 30% monthly uptick in sports viewing,driven by the latter half of the MLB World Series on FOX,plus NFL and college football on ABC,CBS,FOX and NBC. Even though sports content makes up only 3% of broadcast duration, it accounted for 37% of all broadcast viewership in November and 6.4% of total TV usage-the highest share for the genre ever recorded in The Gauge. NFL coverage also drew younger audiences, with under-30 viewership rising 21% and kids ages 2-11 up 27%.
The sports surge extended into streaming,underscoring how live events are unifying audiences across platforms:
- Peacock led streaming growth in November,up 22% thanks to NFL Sunday Night Football and Thanksgiving programming. The service featured NBC’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade simulcast and a primetime NFL game, averaging 2.4 million viewers for the day and earning a 1.9% share of total TV-up 0.3 points.Peacock also benefited from the original drama All Her Fault,which generated 2.4 billion minutes.
- Paramount+ (within Paramount Streaming) climbed 18.4% month over month, buoyed by NFL games and the return of the original series Landman, lifting the combined Paramount Streaming share to 2.3% of TV (+0.2 points).
Beyond live sports,the month illustrated strong cross-platform convergence. The Chiefs versus Cowboys Thanksgiving Day matchup on CBS tallied 11.7 billion viewing minutes and stood as the month’s top broadcast telecast. Netflix’s Stranger Things totaled 11.8 billion minutes for November, underscoring the enduring pull of marquee series. Whether watched live or on-demand, these powerhouse titles collectively equaled more than 22,000 years of U.S. viewing for November.
Streaming usage rose 8% year over year and captured 46.7% of total watch-time in November. Five of the ten most-streamed days on record occurred in November, led by saturday, November 29, with 47.6 billion minutes streamed. Stranger Things anchored Netflix’s gains, contributing nearly 12 billion minutes and lifting Netflix to an 8.3% share of total TV for the month (up 0.3 points).The roku Channel posted a standout performance, up 9% overall and up 23% among viewers aged 25-34, reaching a record 2.9% share of television.
Cable usage declined by 3% to a 20.5% share,marking its lowest monthly total to date. ESPN-led NFL coverage remained the top cable outlet,but the absence of MLB playoff games muted the sports segment’s growth by about 42%. The cable movie category, however, enjoyed a 22% rise in viewership as holiday programming drew audiences.
*Linear streaming is defined as live broadcast and cable content viewed through MVPD/vMVPD services like YouTube TV and cable provider apps. Linear streaming is excluded from the streaming category in The Gauge.
The November interval spanned five weeks, from 10/27/2025 through 11/30/2025, with Nielsen reporting aligned to the broadcast calendar.
About The Gauge
The Gauge is Nielsen’s monthly snapshot of total broadcast, cable and streaming consumption across television screens, offering a complete view of what audiences watch. The Gauge expanded in 2024 to include The media Distributor Gauge, which measures viewing by distributor.Learn more at Nielsen Gauge.
Executive Insight: What This Means For Viewers And Brands
The month’s results illustrate a shift toward cross-platform engagement, with live sports and high-demand series driving growth across both traditional TV and streaming.For advertisers, the data highlight opportunities to synchronize campaigns with live events and top-tier titles across Peacock, Paramount+, Netflix and other services.
Key november 2025 Metrics
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Overall TV usage change | +5.5% month-over-month | Five-week interval |
| Streaming share of total watch-time | 46.7% | Record-high level |
| Broadcast share of TV usage | 23.2% | Up from October |
| Cable share of TV usage | 20.5% | Down 3% MoM |
| Thanksgiving total minutes | 103.4 billion | Highest single-day total |
| Top broadcast telecast | Kansas City Chiefs vs. Dallas Cowboys | 11.7 billion minutes |
| Netflix Stranger Things minutes | ~11.8 billion | Monthly total for November |
| Netflix total TV share | 8.3% | Month |
| Peacock share | 1.9% | Up 0.3 points |
| Paramount+ share | 2.3% | MoM gain |
What’s your take on this month’s shifts? Are you more inclined to watch live sports on streaming platforms or binge new series on established networks? Do you think this trend will endure into 2026?
Share your thoughts in the comments and tell us which platform and title dominated your viewing this November.
Sources: Nielsen The Gauge data for November 2025. For more details, visit Nielsen’s Gauge page.
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November 2025 Sets Record TV Consumption: 103 Billion Minutes on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving‑day viewing surge
- 103 billion minutes of TV were watched on Thanksgiving, breaking the previous 2024 record by 7 %.
- The spike was driven by three core categories:
- Live sports (NFL, college football, NBA preseason)
- Family‑pleasant movies on broadcast networks and cable
- Streaming marathons on Peacock, Paramount+ and Netflix
Sports broadcast boost
- NFL Thursday Night Football delivered an average 9.1 million live viewers, a 3 % increase over October.
- College football’s “Thanksgiving Classic” on ABC attracted 5.8 million viewers, with a time‑shifted audience of an additional 2.4 million on hulu Live.
- NBA preseason highlights on TNT generated 4.2 million peak viewers,fueling the overall sports‑related minutes to an estimated 12 billion for the holiday.
streaming platforms that led the charge
| Platform | Top‑performing Content (Nov 2025) | Minutes Watched on Thanksgiving |
|---|---|---|
| Peacock | “The Office” reunion special | 4.6 billion |
| Paramount+ | “Star Trek: Picard” Season 4 | 3.9 billion |
| Netflix | “Stranger Things” Season 5 (premiere) | 9.3 billion |
| Hulu | “The Great Gatsby” 2025 remake | 2.8 billion |
| Amazon Prime Video | “The Boys” Season 4 | 2.1 billion |
– Netflix’s “Stranger Things” Season 5 launched on November 1 and maintained a steady 10‑day viewership rate of 1.6 billion minutes per day through the holiday weekend.
- Peacock’s “The Office” reunion triggered a 15 % spike in live‑stream minutes, especially among the 25‑44 demographic.
Broadcast vs.streaming: were the minutes whent
- broadcast TV accounted for 38 % (≈ 39 billion minutes) of total Thanksgiving consumption, dominated by network news, Sunday night movies, and live sports.
- Cable and satellite contributed 22 % (≈ 23 billion minutes), with notable spikes from HBO Max’s “Game of Thrones” pre‑release marathon.
- Streaming services captured the remaining 40 % (≈ 41 billion minutes), highlighting the continued migration toward on‑demand viewing.
Key insights for advertisers and content creators
- Live sports remain the highest‑value inventory – ad rates during Thursday Night Football reached a $28 CPM, 12 % above the 2024 average.
- Cross‑platform promotion – brands that integrated TV spots with streaming‑first campaigns (e.g.,Coca‑Cola’s dual placement on NBC and Peacock) saw a 25 % lift in recall.
- Family‑oriented programming – Thanksgiving’s “movie night” block on ABC generated 5 billion minutes and contributed to a 13 % increase in household reach for family brands.
Practical tips for marketers targeting November 2025 TV viewers
- Leverage “second‑screen” data: Sync social media bursts with live sports windows to capture the 12‑minute average viewer attention span.
- Allocate budget to hybrid buys: Combine CTV (connected TV) spots on Peacock/Paramount+ with traditional broadcast slots to maximize frequency across the 103 billion‑minute audience.
- Optimize creative for the 25‑54 core: Use dynamic ad insertion on streaming platforms to serve tailored messages based on viewer genre preference (e.g., sci‑fi for “Stranger Things” fans).
Case study: “Stranger Things” Season 5 launch strategy
- Pre‑launch: 30 seconds of teaser ads aired across ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today” show, driving a 7 % lift in search queries for “Stranger Things season 5 release date.”
- Streaming rollout: Netflix placed a mid‑roll ad on Peacock’s “The Office” reunion, reaching 4.6 billion minutes of overlapping audience.
- Result: the premiere episode recorded 2.3 million concurrent streams on launch night, a 14 % increase over Season 4’s debut.
Benefits of the November 2025 TV consumption record
- Advertisers gain a clearer benchmark for peak holiday viewership,informing media‑plan allocations for Q4.
- Broadcasters can negotiate stronger carriage fees by demonstrating a 7 % year‑over‑year increase in total minutes.
- Streaming platforms obtain validation for premium content investments,reinforcing subscriber acquisition strategies ahead of the 2026 holiday season.
Future outlook: what to expect in December 2025
- Anticipated 6 % rise in total TV minutes during the Christmas week, driven by new NFL season‑opening games and high‑profile holiday specials on Disney+ and HBO Max.
- Streaming competition intensifies as Peacock and Paramount+ double‑down on exclusive releases, positioning themselves as primary sources for “holiday binge‑watch” audiences.
Data sources: Nielsen Total Audience Report (Q4 2025), Nielsen Fast‑Furious Ratings, Netflix Viewership Dashboard, Peacock and Paramount+ internal analytics, eMarketer advertising spend forecasts.
