YouTube‘s success on TV screens is legitimizing it in the eyes of the average American consumer. That’s the main takeaway from a survey conducted by Looper Insights; the firm found that two-thirds of respondents agreed with the idea that YouTube is a “realistic destination” for TV shows and movies.
Looper surveyed 1,115 U.S. consumers about their media appetites. 66% of that cohort said that YouTube has become a reliable source for the sort of long-form content that was previously confined to TV networks and subscription-based streaming services.
Among a separate panel of 65 media executives, the percentage was even higher. 88% of those respondents agreed with the claim that YouTube is a realistic destination for long-form movies and TV shows. “Once only considered a short-form or creator-led powerhouse, YouTube has grown to become like television — across TV screens, tablets and phones — with a growing focus on films, series, and longer-form entertainment,” reads the report.
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YouTube has hastened that growth by investing heavily in its TV presence. The most recent edition of Nielsen‘s The Gauge report found that YouTube has the largest audience share among streaming video services, claiming 12% of that market. At its annual Brandcast presentation, YouTube dubbed itself as the #1 most-watched distributor of content across broadcast, cable, and streaming in the U.S. since February 2025.
47% of consumers in the Looper survey said that the living room is the main location for their YouTube viewing, while 52% claimed that they would consider using YouTube’s free platform as a replacement for SVOD services like Netflix and Disney+.
Media companies are responding to that demand by stocking YouTube with premium film and TV content. A notable example of that trend occurred earlier this year, when Warner Bros. made more than 30 full movies available for free on YouTube.
At this point, YouTube’s ascendance to the top of the film and TV distribution landscape is nearly complete, and the platform will surely be a top player in that industry for years to come. When that happens, what role will YouTube’s homegrown creators play? A Deloitte report from March found that many members of Gen Z prefer creator content to premium TV, but more than half of Looper’s respondents said that creators are better off sticking to YouTube rather than pursuing projects on “premium” streaming platforms.
Some creators have struggled to meet expectations in the traditional TV world, even as some of their colleagues have thrived in similar spaces. But if the Looper report is to be believed, YouTube is now on par with TV and movie hubs in the minds of many U.S. consumers. If that’s the case, then creators can elevate their work to premium status without leaving YouTube at all.
