YouTube is reshaping the TV landscape, but is the industry keeping up with how viewers are actually using it?
This report, based on a survey of 1,115 members of the public and 65 senior media executives in the U.S., uncovers a fast-moving shift in how YouTube is perceived, and a growing gap between traditional assumptions and real-world behavior.
Key Insights:
📺 From Phones to the Big Screen: 47% of the public now say they primarily watch YouTube on their TV. It’s no longer just a mobile platform.
⏱️ Long-Form Is the New Norm: 84% of executives say YouTube is a viable platform for premium storytelling, but only 34% of the public consider it a main destination for film and TV.
🎬 The Creator Conundrum: 74% of executives say YouTuber shows flop because audiences don’t migrate or platforms overvalue follower counts.
📊 YouTube vs. SVODs: While 85% of execs believe YouTube can challenge subscription streamers, only 24% of the public say they’d actually replace one, for now.
As YouTube becomes core to how people watch, streamers, studios, and advertisers will need to rethink what “premium” means – and who gets to define it.
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