The Streaming Wars Come Down to 2: YouTube v. Netflix
But there's no hiding from YouTube.
Netflix and YouTube are increasingly locked in a fierce battle for control over the television set, a rivalry that even Netflix's executives can no longer deny.
'That was more of a fun narrative than it was, you know, the brutal truth,' Jason Kilar, the founding chief executive of Hulu and a former chief executive of WarnerMedia, said about those past comments. 'The brutal truth is that YouTube is indeed the biggest competitor of Netflix at this point.'
The rivalry signals how the streaming wars have entered a new phase.
For years, increasing subscriber numbers to their streaming services was the ultimate goal for media companies. Now, those companies are trying to increase the amount of time viewers spend on their service. On that score, YouTube and Netflix stand above the competition.
The two accounted for 20 percent of all television viewing time in the United States in May — 12.5 percent for YouTube, 7.5 percent for Netflix, according to Nielsen. The next closest streaming competitor is Disney, whose multiple streaming services (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+) together accounted for 5 percent of TV time in May, Nielsen said.
And YouTube's lead keeps getting wider. Two years ago, YouTube's share of TV time was roughly half a percentage point higher than Netflix's — now it is five percentage points.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lena Dunham ‘Understands' How Lack of Diversity in ‘Girls' Was ‘Really Disappointing' for Audiences
Lena Dunham is looking back on claims of a lack of diversity in her iconic series 'Girls.' Dunham created, produced, wrote, and starred in the HBO show, which aired from 2012 to 2017. Almost a decade after wrapping, the showrunner is reflecting on how the series was critically received at the time. 'I think one of the profound issues around 'Girls' was that there was so little real estate for women in television,' Dunham told The Independent, '[so] that if you had a show called 'Girls,' which is such a monolithic name, it sounds like it's describing all the girls in all the places. And so if it's not reflecting a multitude of experiences, I understand how that would be really disappointing to people.' More from IndieWire Lena Dunham Details Possible 'Girls' Revival Plot: 'I Would Always' Work with That Cast Again Jason Momoa Unites a People in Apple's 'Chief of War' Trailer Dunham is now returning to TV again with her semi-autobiographical Netflix series 'Too Much,' which has a large ensemble cast representing a slew of races, genders, and nationalities as the show takes place in both New York City and London. 'The thing I have really come to believe is that one of the most important things is not just diversity in front of the camera, but it's diversity behind the camera,' Dunham said, citing how her experience with 'Girls' impacted how she approached 'Too Much.' 'As a producer, one of my goals is to bring a lot of different voices into a position where they can tell their story.' The discussions around diversity in 'Girls' plagued the series ever since it premiered in 2012. The NYC-set show had a white core cast; Dunham famously introduced Donald Glover in Season 2 as one of her onscreen love interests, seemingly in direct response to the criticisms. Glover's character Sandy was a devout Republican in a subversive creative decision. Dunham said in 2012 that the casting was not due to the diversity controversy, though. 'Some are people of color, some are not, some are caucasian because I went to the actors who I wanted to work with and told the stories that seemed vital and exciting,' she said. 'I don't care about satisfying the critics, but I care about satisfying my viewers. And I know I have viewers who are women of color who want to see themselves reflected onscreen. So, that's what matters to me. It doesn't matter to me to satiate people who are looking to kind of put destructive energy onto the world — not to sound like a hippie.' Dunham added in 2018 that she later discussed Glover's character with him and wanted to make sure he was comfortable with the arc. 'I emailed him later to say, 'I hope you feel the part on 'Girls' didn't tokenize you,' and his response was really Donald-y and enigmatic: 'Let's not think back on mistakes we made in the past, let's just focus on what lies in front of us,'' she said (Glover has been vocal about his love of working with Dunham ever since starring in the series.) The magnified criticisms of 'Girls' at the time in part led to Dunham taking an acting hiatus. Dunham told The Times early this season, 'I always joke that I need a T-shirt that says, 'I survived New York media in 2012 and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.' And all I got was this lousy PTSD. I didn't really understand how to distinguish between what was and wasn't necessary for the public. I felt confused about how I was supposed to respond. I thought if I explain properly who I am, or give a glimpse of who I am, people are going to have a different perception of me, that we would be friends. But no one cares — and that's fine.'Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Dexter' Has ‘Probably Done a Number on Me,' Says Michael C. Hall: ‘I'm Not Crazy, I Know I'm Not Him'
Dexter Morgan is back, officially, now that Paramount+ with Showtime dropped the first episode of 'Dexter: Resurrection' on Friday, July 11. IndieWire's Ben Travers gave the series cautiously positive marks, writing, 'Dexter's new lease on life may actually be worth waking the dead.' New episodes will continue weekly through September 5. Michael C. Hall has been playing Dexter now, off and on, since 2006. While Hall has certainly appeared in numerous other projects in the 19 years since the pilot aired — from 'The Crown' to 'Safe' and 'Game Night' — the 'Dark Passenger' (Dexter's nickname for his thirst to kill) has been character he just can't shake, though he assured Vanity Fair in an interview that leaves Dexter's unsavory qualities on set. More from IndieWire John Goodman Doesn't Speak to Roseanne Anymore: 'I'd Rather Doubt If She Wants to Talk to Me' Lena Dunham's 'Too Much': A Guide to All Those Cameos - and Each Wink to Her Own Celebrity Lore 'Thankfully, I'm not predisposed to act on the kind of compulsions that Dexter's afflicted by — but yeah, I mean, certainly when we finish shooting a season, I need some time to just put it away, if nothing else,' he explained. 'It's just his life is so stressful. I could never live a life this fraught with stress. I mean, I guess everybody's life is stressful, but Dexter's is sort of beyond.' Hall does speculate, though, on why he is able to play the character, for which he has received six Emmy nominations, so well. 'I'm not crazy; I know I'm not him. I know he doesn't actually exist. He's just words on a page, and a character, and an idea that remains a mysterious one for me. I don't feel that I necessarily have any more of a hold on the character than I ever did. I intuitively know how to play him, but I don't know — he's probably done a number on me that I couldn't even tell you about because the lines are so blurred. But I don't think I'm him, thankfully,' he said. Asked by Vanity Fair what his 'Dark Passenger' was, Hall responded, 'None of your business.' Hall also described the new season — which moves the action from Los Angeles to New York City — as an opportunity for the character to have 'a second chance at life,' saying that Dexter has 'been finally released from what's been a burdensome relationship to his past.' Take a look at the 'Dexter: Resurrection' trailer below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
John Goodman Doesn't Speak to Roseanne Anymore: ‘I'd Rather Doubt If She Wants to Talk to Me'
It's been just over seven years since Roseanne Barr was fired from her self-titled series' successful relaunch following a racist tweet about former President Barack Obama's adviser Valerie Jarrett… which she infamously blamed on 'Ambien tweeting.' It has, perhaps not coincidentally, been about the same amount of time since 'Smurfs' star John Goodman has spoken to his sitcom wife. 'I'd rather doubt if she wants to talk to me,' he told The Hollywood Reporter. 'We haven't talked for about seven or eight years.' More from IndieWire 'Dexter' Has 'Probably Done a Number on Me,' Says Michael C. Hall: 'I'm Not Crazy, I Know I'm Not Him' Lena Dunham's 'Too Much': A Guide to All Those Cameos - and Each Wink to Her Own Celebrity Lore Goodman, of course, went on to anchor the spinoff 'The Conners,' which garnered consistently positive reviews, lasted seven seasons and 112 episodes without Barr, whose 'Roseanne' character was killed off. 'I didn't think [the 'Roseanne' reboot] was going to go beyond the initial five or six episodes,' Goodman said. 'I thought it'd be a one-off thing, and then we got picked up, and Roseanne got fired. I thought that was it, and as soon as they dismissed the cast, I picked up 'Righteous Gemstones.' Then we got to do the show again as 'The Conners.' I didn't know how long it would last, but I sure enjoyed it while I was there.' In an expression of his goodwill to the fans, 'The Conners' ended in April with a scene of Goodman alone, breaking the fourth wall and saying 'Good night' while sitting on the show's iconic couch. 'I wanted to do it, and they let me, and they kept it. I thought it was just us saying, 'Good night, folks. Thank you,'' he explained. Goodman's career remains busy as ever. In addition to voicing Papa Smurf in the upcoming animated 'Smurfs' film, out July 18, he's also recently lent his voice to series like 'The Freak Brothers' and 'Monsters at Work' (reprising Sulley from 'Monsters, Inc.'). His HBO series 'The Righteous Gemstones' aired its final episode in May, and he's set to appear in the next Alejandro González Iñárritu film alongside Tom Cruise and Sandra Hüller, due for release in October 2026. 'There are a lot of funny moments in it,' Goodman said, describing the yet-untitled comedy. 'Tom is a force of nature, and it's fun to just hang on and see what he's going to do. He's a 63-year-old professional athlete and artist. He's got the drive and the energy, and I wish I had half of it.' Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
