Comscore: YouTube accounts for 44,4% of streaming ad time on US TVs

Comscore measures 44,4% of streaming ad time on US TV for YouTube. Why this new figure is neither reach nor proof of better advertising effectiveness.

From Social Rocket editorial team

21/10/2026

This text was created with AI assistance and reviewed editorially before publication. All sources are linked below.

In August, YouTube captured 2026 according to Comscore measurement 44,4 percent of the streaming ad time recorded on US televisions. Tubi followed with 11,6 percent, Hulu with 8,5 percent. The figures from the 21Score Report2026, launched on October , show where viewers could see ads – not which platform reaches the most buyers or offers the highest return on ad spend.

First understand the base

The official Comscore announcement distinguishes classic US broadcast TV (43,2 percent), cable TV (34,5 percent) and streaming (22,3 percent) as shares of the total measured TV ad exposure. YouTube's 44,4 percent refers only to the streaming share. Mathematically, that corresponds to just under ten percent of total recorded TV ad time – not 44,4 percent of all television advertising.

Comscore reports that streaming's share of total recorded TV ad time rose from 16,1 percent in August 2025 to 22,3 percent in August 2026. Digiday describes the new report as a counterpart to reach and viewing-time measurements. The new metric takes into account the time during which ads are delivered and seen on the TV set.

What the metric leaves out

According to Comscore methodology, the report counts television sets in households, not smartphones, tablets or desktop computers. Ads that YouTube TV carries from a linear US channel are also credited to that channel. The metric measures neither inventory, reach, number of ads, ad spend nor conversion impact.

For German campaigns, this means the US ranking is a signal of the importance of connected TV, but not a budget recommendation for Germany. For your own YouTube campaigns, TV placements, mobile views, audience reach and frequency should be evaluated separately. Our background piece explains how YouTube becomes a TV channel.

Consequences for the media mix

More ad exposure time can result from a larger viewership, longer use of ad-supported content, or a higher ad load. For this reason, media planning should examine the new metric together with net reach, audience overlap, brand lift and – for performance goals – incremental conversions. Our classifications on measurement standards also include the CIMM task force for TV measurement and the certification of Comscore, iSpot and VideoAmp.

Illustration: Jonas Leupe / Unsplash.