Thanksgiving Day Helps Lift TV Viewership 5.5% in November Despite Record Low for Cable

Thanksgiving Day was the centerpiece for a 5.5% increase in television usage in November, with audiences watching 103.4 billion minutes during the holiday.

According to Nielsen, linear streaming, or broadcast and cable content viewed through services like YouTube TV and cable provider apps, was a standout during the holiday representing 10.1% of total TV usage — the second-highest level of daily linear streaming ever, surpassed only by Super Bowl Sunday in February. By comparison, linear streaming totaled 7.8% of TV usage across the month.

Additionally, Thanksgiving was the broadcast category’s 10th-most-watched day since the inception of The Gauge in May 2021.

Nielsen Gauge for November 2025 (Photo courtesy of Nielsen)

When looking by category, broadcast’s…