TV Audiences in July: What They’re Watching and Why

Summer’s Second Life for TV

Historically, fresh TV content was not the norm for TV. Summer is known for it’s vacations, beach days, and time spent outside, not time spent on the couch watching TV. Broadcasters knew this and often did not set the start dates for new seasons or shows in the summer. The rise of new on-demand technologies and the development of streaming services has now flipped the TV world upside down. Viewers are leaning into streaming platforms, catching up on past seasons, and gravitating toward family-friendly content that fits their summer pace.

This isn't passive viewing; it's flexible, intentional, and often shared. Live programming also holds strong. July is rich with sports that command real-time attention. Summer is no longer a lull. It's a different kind of viewing season. For advertisers, this shift opens new doors: the audiences are still here, just not always where and the way they used to be.

Summer TV Trends at a Glance

While linear viewership typically slows during the summer months, and overall TV consumption migrates, traditional TV remains an important part of TV ad campaigns. Streaming platforms, especially ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services, have become the go-to destination for audiences who want control over what they watch and when they watch it.

According to Nielsen, streaming accounted for 44.8% of total TV usage in May 2025, officially surpassing the combined share of broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) for the first time in history. This milestone reflects more than just a change in platform; it signals a deeper behavioral shift. Viewers are taking advantage of longer days, flexible schedules, and more free time to watch on their terms, often across multiple devices and outside of the living room. And usually in July, this trend accelerates.

The genre preferences of audiences also change in July. Summer TV shifts toward comedies, family fare, reality competitions, and event-driven limited series, with platforms also using the season to experiment with genre and format. Action, thriller, and horror titles remain staples, while the return of popular series and the addition of documentaries round out a diverse, audience-friendly summer slate.

What’s Hot Right Now: July’s Viewing Highlights by Platform

Viewers are tuning in across platforms, and each major service has carved out its summer sweet spot. This year, Netflix broke the rule "no top TV shows premiere during summer season" and released Squid Game: Season 3 at the end of June, building on its international momentum with a slate of Korean dramas and thrillers that drive binge behavior worldwide.

Meanwhile, Disney+ leans into its strength with family-friendly summer specials, keeping kids and parents entertained during long, school-free days. Amazon Prime Video mixes globally acclaimed drama with sports-driven storytelling, including behind-the-scenes docuseries that pair well with the real-world athletic events. Hulu and Peacock cater to fans of binge-worthy dramas, true crime, and reality TV, a reliable escape during slower workweeks and hot weekends. On the value side, AVOD platforms like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Roku Channel are winning with ad-supported, cost-free access to popular series, cult classics, and curated collections. They're especially attractive to budget-conscious viewers who want to catch up or browse without commitment, an ideal match for relaxed summer habits.

And then there's live sports, where engagement spikes. Wimbledon draws global tennis fans in early July, while ATP and WTA tours continue throughout the month. In the U.S., Major League Baseball hits its midseason stride with the MLB All-Star Game and key rivalries heating up weekly. For international audiences, the CONCACAF Gold Cup drives strong regional interest, turning casual fans into dedicated viewers. These events not only attract loyal sports audiences, but they also boost cable and broadcast ratings significantly during a month that often sees softer linear performance.

TV Shows, Movies & Events on Streaming Platforms (July 2025)

TV Shows, Sports & Events on Cable and National Broadcast TV (July 2025)

Why Summer Viewing Is Different (and Strategic)

Traditional primetime viewing gives way to spontaneous, on-demand sessions. Daytime streaming increases, families gather for group viewing, and audiences lean into content that fits a lighter seasonal mood. One of the biggest trends is the rewatch phenomenon, viewers revisiting past seasons of their favorite shows in anticipation of fall premieres. Audiences want to catch up, refresh their memory, or introduce a show to a friend before new episodes drop. That makes summer a critical mid-funnel moment: viewers are primed for brand recall and highly engaged in familiar storylines. Add to that the rise of device-based viewing, and you get a picture of a viewing environment that’s mobile, multi-generational, and often shared.

How Advertisers Should Respond: Smart Targeting Beats Predictable Scheduling

The main challenge for advertisers is to respond not with static media plans, but with agile buying and smart targeting that align with how and where audiences are watching. Instead of locking into seasonal assumptions, marketers need to follow actual behavior. That means shifting away from the idea that summer is a soft period for TV and toward a mindset of precision engagement: targeting binge-watchers on AVOD, reaching families during co-viewing hours, and intercepting fans during real-time sports moments. The opportunity lies in converged TV.

Platforms like Simulmedia’s TV+ make this possible. Advertisers can activate campaigns across both streaming and linear inventory within a single platform, leveraging real-time data to optimize performance and audience reach. With TV+, it is possible to react to a last-minute spike in viewership. The platform gives marketers the ability to move quickly and effectively.

It provides access to premium inventory with an audience overlay, helping brands avoid overpaying during high-demand windows, focusing on the high-value audience in under-valued areas while maintaining speed and flexibility. Combined with real-time measurement, this allows advertisers to not only keep up with summer’s unpredictable rhythms but to capitalize on them and optimize toward what is driving performance.

Don’t stop TV campaign activity during summer months, change the campaigns, go after your audience, there is no "off-season" now. Summer or winter, day or night, follow your audience no matter where they are going. People are still streaming, bingeing, and tuning in. A trusted partner with a platform that can help your brand adapt to market conditions fast and will bring real results.