YouTube is rising quick on TVs, and podcasts are main the cost

Over the previous decade, podcasts have exploded in reputation, and for many individuals, having one taking part in whereas they work, commute, or unwind has change into second nature. Whereas apps like Spotify and Apple Podcasts stay fashionable platforms for listening, YouTube has emerged as one of many largest locations for podcasts, providing each audio and video. And in accordance with the most recent numbers, it simply had its largest yr for podcasts but.

In a latest blog post, YouTube revealed that 2025 marked one of many strongest years ever for podcasts on the platform, particularly on TVs. Based on YouTube, viewers watched greater than 700 million hours of podcasts on lounge gadgets by October 2025, almost double the earlier yr’s viewing time.

“The lounge simply continues to be this wonderful vibrant spot when it comes to consumption,” stated Steve McLendon, YouTube’s head of podcast merchandise, talking to Bloomberg. “We knew video could be huge for podcasting, but it surely continues to shock us how huge it’s.”

Earlier this yr, YouTube introduced that TV has surpassed mobile devices as the first means folks watch YouTube within the US, and that viewers worldwide now watch a couple of billion hours of YouTube on their TVs every day.

YouTube is likely one of the largest streaming platforms within the US

It not too long ago up to date its TV app with a brand new watch display screen

Credit score: Pocket-lint / Glenn Carstens-Peters / unsplash / Canva

Based on Nielsen data, YouTube stays one of many largest streaming platforms within the US. In its November 2025 report, streaming accounted for 46.7 % of complete TV viewership, with YouTube main all streaming providers at 12.9 %, adopted by Netflix at 8.3 %. So seeing YouTube’s podcast numbers explode on TV won’t be all that shocking, provided that an increasing number of persons are tuning in to YouTube at night time on their TVs, changing conventional cable and broadcast TV.

“With podcasting and YouTube and discovery on tv, there isn’t any restrict to potential late night time reveals,” McLendon advised Bloomberg.

Not too long ago, YouTube updated its TV watch page to make it a “extra intuitive expertise with simpler navigation.” As a part of the replace, YouTube rearranged a number of on-screen consumer interface components whereas a video is taking part in, making it simpler to view a video’s description, learn feedback, and discover extra content material from the channel. These modifications started rolling out to the YouTube TV app in early December.

In its weblog put up, YouTube says it’s going to proceed to develop “extra methods to get pleasure from podcasts” on the platform in 2026, together with making it simpler for content material creators to generate clips from their podcast for his or her audiences to observe.

It is value noting that different platforms like Spotify have additionally began leaning into video, with Spotify saying in November that it now has half 1,000,000 video podcasts which were watched by virtually 400 million folks (through TechCrunch).

In different YouTube-related information, the streaming big recently announced it’s going to have the unique international rights to The Oscars beginning in 2029, after signing a multi-year cope with the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences. The primary Oscars to debut on YouTube would be the a hundred and first Oscars Ceremony in 2029, and the deal runs via 2033.