YOUTUBE is no longer the sole preserve of the young, according to the latest data from Nielsen.
A report released yesterday revealed that the streaming platform had become the most popular destination for television viewing in February, surpassing traditional broadcast channels.
The surge in YouTube’s popularity was reportedly spearheaded by viewers aged over 50. This development marks a significant triumph for the Google-owned platform, which has long been associated primarily with younger demographics.
Nielsen’s analysis of television consumption indicated that YouTube achieved a record performance in the United States during February 2025, capturing 11.6 percent of total TV viewing time.
This breakthrough, the second since YouTube’s inclusion in the Nielsen Gauge in November 2023, positioned it ahead of major US television networks.
The platform reportedly saw a two percent increase in its share of viewing time compared to January.
Sources within the American technology giant were quoted as saying that this represented YouTube’s “best share of TV to date.”
The streaming service is understood to be steadily attracting a broader audience. YouTube’s chief executive, Neal Mohan, recently said that television was now the primary device through which content was consumed on the platform in the US.
This assertion was corroborated by the Nielsen findings, which highlighted a 53 percent increase in viewing time on televisions compared with February 2023.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the platform’s success is being fuelled by a notable rise in viewership among those aged 50 and above. The 50-64 age bracket accounted for 20.4 percent of YouTube’s audience in February 2025, a surge of over 62 percent in the past two years.
Even more striking was the growth in the over-65s category, which saw a jump of over 96 percent since February 2023.
This influx of older viewers has placed the 65 and over demographic almost on par with the 2 to 11-year-old age group, with the former comprising 15.4 percent of the audience compared to the latter’s 16.9 percent.
While these figures pertain specifically to the US market, analysts suggest that this trend could well extend globally as YouTube intensifies its efforts to enhance the user experience on smart televisions.
-BTS Media
