Creator videos capture over a quarter of TV and video viewing time, report finds

Creator-produced videos now account for more than one-quarter of all time spent watching television and video in the United States, according to new research from Media Dynamics, highlighting the growing role of digital-first content alongside traditional television and streaming services.

The report estimates that creator content—including videos on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitch—represented 27% of total TV and video viewing time in the first half of 2026. That places creator content ahead of several traditional video categories and underscores its expanding share of consumers’ daily media consumption.

According to Media Dynamics, Americans now spend an average of nearly two hours per day watching creator videos. While YouTube accounts for the largest share of that viewing, the report notes that creator content is increasingly distributed across multiple social and video platforms, broadening its reach across different audiences and devices.

The findings also point to a shift in how viewers consume video content. Rather than replacing traditional television entirely, creator videos are becoming a complementary part of daily viewing habits, with consumers moving between broadcast TV, streaming services, and social video platforms throughout the day.

eMarketer noted that the trend is prompting advertisers to rethink video strategies as creator-led content captures a growing share of audience attention. As viewing time continues to fragment across platforms, marketers are placing greater emphasis on creator partnerships and social video campaigns to reach consumers where they spend more of their time.

Media Dynamics attributes the continued growth to the increasing volume of professionally produced creator content, improvements in platform recommendation systems, and the availability of creator videos across connected TVs, smartphones, tablets, and desktop devices. The report suggests these factors have helped creator content become a mainstream component of the broader video ecosystem rather than a niche category.

The research indicates that creator content is now firmly established as a major segment of the U.S. video market, with its share of viewing expected to remain significant as audiences continue to diversify their media consumption across traditional and digital platforms.