YouTube Shorts Surge on TV Screens as Viewing Habits Shift
Short-form videos are no longer limited to smartphone screens, as YouTube Shorts are rapidly gaining popularity on large television displays as well.
According to a report released Thursday by the video streaming giant, viewers worldwide are now watching more than 2 billion hours of YouTube Shorts on television screens every month.
Although these vertically formatted videos were originally designed for mobile phones, their remarkable rise on living room TVs has surprised technology analysts.
The growth accelerated after Alphabet Inc.’s Google TV platform recently introduced a new “Short Videos For You” content row.
To make the television viewing experience more engaging and user-friendly, YouTube has also redesigned parts of its TV interface. Since vertical videos leave large empty spaces on both sides of widescreen televisions, the platform now displays viewers’ comments alongside videos while they are playing.
Sarah Ali, Vice President of Product Management for YouTube Shorts, said in a statement that adapting Shorts for larger screens has enabled viewers to engage more deeply with content while also creating new audience growth and revenue opportunities for creators worldwide.
She added that viewers in the United States alone are currently watching more than 200 million hours of YouTube content daily on televisions, with Shorts accounting for a significant portion of that consumption.
Alongside short videos, podcast and audio-based programming are also seeing sharp growth on TV screens. According to YouTube data, monthly podcast viewing on televisions rose from 400 million hours in 2024 to nearly 700 million hours by the end of 2025.
Industry observers say audiences increasingly prefer listening to talk shows and discussion-based content on television while simultaneously doing household activities.
Recognizing the commercial potential of the segment, Netflix has reportedly signed agreements with major studios including iHeartMedia and Spotify to acquire exclusive video podcast broadcasting rights.
Technology experts believe this evolving entertainment trend is fundamentally reshaping the traditional concept of television viewing.
DBTech/BMT/OR
