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In 2025, for the first time in YouTube’s history, TV screens officially overtook smartphones in total watch time across the U.S. Every day, viewers now spend over 1 billion hours watching YouTube on the big screen.
The television has evolved into a new kind of personal computer — fully connected to the internet, equipped with apps, and ready to stream YouTube at any time. It’s easy to use, even for people with minimal tech skills.
But more importantly, the TV is perfect for passive content consumption. People often hit play and let videos run in the background — while eating, cleaning, or relaxing. YouTube has become a natural part of the household routine — a kind of background soundtrack to everyday life.
This “hands-free” viewing experience plays a major role in boosting total watch time. And the more minutes people spend watching, the more ad impressions are served — which means higher monetization potential for creators.
The chart below comes from Nielsen’s February 2025 study, which reveals how viewers are spending their time on television — and YouTube is leading the pack.
With 11.6% of total TV watch time, YouTube has pulled ahead of giants like Disney, FOX, and Netflix. And it’s not slowing down — that number jumped by 2% in just one month.
This isn’t just a mobile app on a bigger screen anymore. YouTube is becoming a fully-fledged streaming powerhouse, competing head-to-head with traditional broadcasters — for audience attention, watch hours, and ad dollars.
Media companies are already catching on. In the UK, both Channel 4 and ITV have built entire strategies around YouTube:
These moves signal a major shift. And they also open the door for independent creators to claim their space on the big screen.
YouTube itself is adapting — rolling out UI changes for TV users and launching large-scale projects optimized for living room viewing.
In this article, we’ll break down:
YouTube is no longer just "a mobile app on a bigger display" — it's rapidly evolving into a full-blown streaming ecosystem, more and more comparable to platforms like Netflix or Hulu.
YouTube is actively redesigning the platform to make it more TV-friendly and seamless to navigate from the couch. Here are some of the key upgrades:
This evolution is already visible in how creators structure and present their content. For example, creator Michelle Khare publishes episodic content like her series “Challenge Accepted”, which is perfectly formatted for TV viewing — making it easy for audiences to binge-watch entire seasons right from their living room screen.
It’s not just classic YouTube videos anymore — TV viewers are exploring a much wider range of content on the platform.
Here’s what’s dominating the big screen:
More and more people are turning to YouTube — not traditional TV or newspapers — to stay informed.
According to a 2024 Pew Research Center study:
From politics to global affairs to regional updates, YouTube has evolved into a search engine for news, and the TV screen has become the most comfortable way to consume it.
For creators in the news, documentary, or commentary space — this trend opens up a huge window of opportunity.
The rise of YouTube viewership on television isn’t only about better UI or more polished content. One of the biggest shifts is happening on the audience side — and it’s changing how we think about who YouTube is really for.
More and more often, it’s not teens or Gen Z watching YouTube on TV. It’s older viewers — particularly those aged 50 and up — who are embracing the platform in place of traditional television.
According to Nielsen’s February 2025 data:
These viewers are looking for calm, clear, and accessible content, and they’re increasingly turning to YouTube as their main source of entertainment and information — often replacing traditional cable TV entirely.
For creators, this opens up a powerful new segment to serve — one that’s growing fast and hungry for well-paced, thoughtful, and easy-to-follow videos.
When it comes to YouTube viewing habits on TV, one size definitely doesn’t fit all. Each age group interacts with content in its own way:
This shift in behavior demands a different kind of content — slower pacing, clear structure, readable subtitles, clean visuals, and topics like news, history, hobbies, culture, and wellness.
In the U.S., adults aged 55 and over control over 73% of the nation’s total wealth, making them one of the most financially powerful demographics on the platform.
This is a key reason why brands are increasingly targeting this age group — and why creators should consider tailoring part of their content strategy to engage them. Whether it’s through well-paced, informative, or lifestyle-driven videos, reaching this audience means tapping into a segment that’s not only highly engaged, but also highly monetizable.
Watching YouTube on a television screen is a whole different experience — and it calls for more than just a great idea. The format, pacing, and visual quality all play a much bigger role when your content is viewed from the couch.
TV is made for long-form content. Videos that are 30 to 60 minutes long perform better on big screens. They’re ideal for “background watching” — while relaxing, cooking, or doing chores.
But this doesn’t mean you should stretch content just to fill time. Quite the opposite: TV viewers are ready to stick around, if your content is engaging and well-structured.
With longer formats, you can:
On a large screen, every flaw is magnified. Blurry visuals, poor lighting, or bad audio become instantly noticeable — and can turn viewers off in seconds.
Here’s what to prioritize:
YouTube Studio gives you tools to understand how your videos perform on television screens:
Use this data to shape your content plan — lean into what works for your TV audience. As more people tune in from the living room, optimizing for the big screen isn’t just smart — it’s essential.
If you’re thinking about launching a new channel or developing a fresh series, consider creating content specifically designed for TV viewing. The television screen brings with it a slower, more immersive viewing experience — and the best-performing formats are the ones that reflect that.
Here are 12 format ideas that thrive on the big screen and can help shape your next YouTube success:
Story-driven content released in episodes — whether it’s fictional, comedic, experimental, or based on real life. Each video covers a new theme or day, making it easy to binge on TV.
Example:
Interviews, open conversations, or “thinking out loud” formats work great in TV’s laid-back environment. Consider creating themed seasons like “Psychology for Everyone”, “Working in Tech”, or “Moving Abroad.”
Example:
Think beyond recipe tutorials — aim for a slow, calming experience. Add stories, cultural context, or soft music for cozy evening content.
Example:
In-depth videos that unpack how something works — small-town businesses, electricity, urban development. Ideal for curious minds.
Example:
Minimal editing, maximum immersion. Capture nature, roads, and local culture. You can narrate or use subtitles — or let the visuals speak for themselves.
Example:
Slow-paced, instructional content: fixing things, organizing, decorating, sewing, or painting. Great for both learning and relaxing.
Example:
Music, nature sounds, animated loops, or “work with me” videos — perfect for studying, relaxing, or just having something pleasant on in the background. Many of these formats run 24/7.
Example:
Autobiographical or reflective content — moves, challenges, life changes. The more honest and slow-paced, the better it lands with TV audiences.
Examples:
Explainers on economics, media, science, or tech — broken down clearly, with relatable real-world analogies.
Example:
A genre where “nothing much happens” — but it’s relaxing to watch. Cleaning, caring for plants, daily rituals, rural life. A hit with viewers looking for comfort TV.
Examples:
Children’s programming performs exceptionally well on TVs. Educational series with recurring characters, interactive elements ("find the object", "repeat the move"), and long compilations are great for passive viewing.
Example:
One of the easiest ways to create TV-friendly content: compile shorter clips into longer playlists around a topic. Perfect for reusing existing content while keeping viewers engaged longer.
Examples:
If you're launching a new channel, don’t just edit for mobile — design your content for the TV experience from the couch. This mindset taps into a growing audience and opens the door to new monetization and growth opportunities.
YouTube has fully evolved into a platform built for TV viewing — and creators who adapt to this are seeing clear benefits: more views, longer watch time, and more stable revenue.
What should you do right now?
For example, our partner It’s a Good Trip launched looping livestreams of scenic cycling journeys — visually calming, atmospheric content that performs especially well on TV.
TV is no longer a relic of the past — it’s a new opportunity for smart creators to grow their audience and revenue.
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