YouTube Holds Lead for Sixth Straight Month in Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge

YouTube leads Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge for the sixth consecutive month, capturing 13.4% of TV watch time in July. Netflix ranks third in the list. Nielsen's report aggregates total TV viewing across platforms.

Google and Fox are locked in a contract dispute that could see Fox content removed from YouTube TV. According to a statement from Google, Fox is demanding higher payments than comparable content providers, which Google claims is unfair. Fox, however, maintains that Google is attempting to use its market power to pressure them into unfavorable terms. If a deal is not reached by 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 27, Fox channels and saved content could become unavailable on YouTube TV [1].

This contract dispute comes at a critical time for both companies, with the college football season kicking off and football fans worried about potential impacts on key games. Google has offered YouTube TV subscribers a $10 credit if Fox content is removed, while Fox has launched a website called Keep Fox to promote its side of the dispute and provide information on local channel removals [1].

Meanwhile, YouTube TV has maintained its position as the leader in Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge for the sixth consecutive month, capturing 13.4% of TV watch time in July. Netflix ranked third in the list, highlighting the growing competition in the streaming market [2].

References:
[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/08/26/fox-youtube-tv-dispute/85830732007/
[2] Nielsen Media Distributor Gauge Report (July 2025)