Key stat: Over 260 million people in the US—more than 77% of the population—will watch over-the-top (OTT) video this year, according to a March EMARKETER forecast. Of these, nearly all will be watching YouTube.

Beyond the chart:

• US local connected TV (CTV) and OTT video ad spending is expected to grow 9.1% this year, reaching $2.79 billion, according to BIA Advisory Services and Premion.
• Three-fourths of the US population owns a smart TV as of 2025, according to a March report from Edison Research.

Use this chart: Marketers can use this chart to defend expanding their OTT and YouTube initiatives. They can also keep a close eye on their digital pay TV budgets to ensure they're getting the ROI they want.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• US OTT, Pay TV, and YouTube Viewers Forecast 2025 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• US Time Spent With Sub OTT Streaming 2025 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Note: Traditional distribution includes IPTV, cable, satellite, wireless carriers and fiber operators, multiple system operators (MSOs), multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), and major TV broadcast and cable networks.

Methodology: Estimates are based on the analysis of survey and web traffic data from research firms and regulatory agencies, sales projections, historical trends, company-specific data, and demographic and socioeconomic factors.