YouTube Marks Massive Shift in Where Users Watch Its Content
By Movieguide® Contributor
Since its inception, people have watched YouTube content on their computers and phones, but in 2024, for the first time, the majority of its watch time came from TVs.
As the website prepares for its 20 year anniversary, CEO Neal Mohan shared highlights from the past and plans for the future, including a continued investment in its TV business, as users spent over 1 billion hours on YouTube via their TVs. While revealing that YouTube now gets a majority of its watch time from TVs, Mohan also highlighted the fact that the entertainment industry now looks to the site for new talent.
“Every thriving industry needs a healthy startup culture. Creators are bringing that startup mindset to Hollywood: leaning into new models of production, building studios to elevate their production quality, and exploring new creative avenues,” Mohan wrote on a company blog post. “They are creating a whole new playing field for entertainment and the business behind them.”
While YouTube was originally a sleeping giant in the streaming industry, it is now common knowledge that it is the largest platform in the world, leading Netflix in watch time for over two years. Much of this success comes from YouTube TV’s wide array of offerings such as NFL Sunday Ticket. The company remains committed to its TV offerings, with plans to introduce new interactions between viewers’ phones and TVs.
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“As more creators produce content for the big screen, we’re bringing the best of YouTube to TVs, including a second screen experience that les you use your phone to interact with the video you’re watching on TV – for example, to leave a comment or make a purchase,” Mohan wrote. “We’re also experimenting with a new feature called Watch With, which enables creators to provide live commentary and real time reactions to games and events. We began testing this feature last year with the NFL and will experiment with other sports and types of content this year.”
The CEO added that YouTube will “remain the epicenter of culture,” citing the fact that an estimated 45 million people turned to the platform on Election Day in 2024.
“From elections to the Olympics to Coachella to the Super Bowl and the Cricket World Cup, the world’s biggest moments play out on YouTube,” he said.
A variety of programming draws people of all ages to the site, but a vast majority of view time comes from children. With YouTube’s long run at the top, the entire kids’ entertainment industry has been overhauled, with many longtime players now out of the running.
READ MORE: YOUTUBE KILLED KIDS TV — HERE’S HOW
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