Observed Signal · May 26, 2026 · Survey · Source: Cord Cutters News · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
YouTube TV Tops Cord‑Cutting Survey
A survey of more than 2,300 cord cutters found YouTube TV is the clear favorite for live TV streaming: 68% named it the best service, versus 16% for Hulu + Live TV, 11% for DIRECTV and 4% for Fubo. The article notes YouTube TV’s strong appeal for users seeking local channels, unlimited DVR and an easy-to-use interface, and says its preference share alone exceeds the combined support for its three main rivals. Brief service histories are provided: YouTube TV launched in April 2017 (by Google) and reportedly passed 10 million subscribers by late 2025; Fubo began in January 2015 as a soccer-focused service and broadened in 2017; Hulu introduced its live TV product in 2017 and is primarily owned by Disney; DIRECTV began as a satellite service in 1994 and was acquired by AT&T in 2015.
Shows a single streaming platform dominating consumer preference in live TV; relevant for advertisers, CTV/OTT inventory planning, content negotiations and competitive positioning among streaming providers.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Survey of over 2,300 cord cutters found YouTube TV chosen as best live TV streaming service by 68%, Hulu + Live TV 16%, DIRECTV 11%, and Fubo 4%.
- YouTube TV’s 68% preference share exceeds the combined support for Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV and Fubo.
- YouTube TV was launched by Google on April 5, 2017 and, per the article, had surpassed 10 million subscribers by late 2025.
- Fubo (FuboTV) was founded in January 2015 as a soccer‑focused streaming service and pivoted in 2017 to broader sports and entertainment.
- Hulu + Live TV launched in 2017; Hulu is primarily owned by Disney and combines on‑demand libraries with live channel bundles.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Survey: YouTube TV Dominates Live-TV Streaming
Cord Cutters News surveyed over 1,000 readers about which live-TV streaming service they use. YouTube TV captured 35.7% of responses — a larger share than all listed competitors combined (29.4%). Other services' shares included Frndly TV (9.5%), DIRECTV (5.1%), Sling TV (4.7%), Philo (4.7%), Hulu + Live TV (3.8%) and Fubo (1.6%). The article notes YouTube TV reportedly serves more than 11 million subscribers and highlights features like unlimited cloud DVR, three simultaneous streams, and multiview. The piece frames these results as evidence of continued cord-cutting momentum and the strengthening role of streaming/CTV services in replacing legacy cable subscriptions.
Which Live TV Streaming Service Is Best — July 2026
This CordCuttersNews comparison (updated July 10, 2026; published July 11, 2026) evaluates six major live TV streaming services — DIRECTV, Fubo (FuboTV), Hulu + Live TV, Philo, Sling TV, and YouTube TV — across channel lineups, packages/pricing, DVR policies, and simultaneous-stream limits. The article lists base plan prices for each service, enumerates which national and specialty channels appear on each platform (noting region-specific RSNs and local-channel variability), and summarizes included DVR durations and concurrent-stream allowances. It provides consumers a side-by-side reference of features and costs to help choose a service based on channels, sports availability, recording limits, and multi-device viewing rules.
YouTube TV Directory Profile Added
YouTube TV is Alphabet Inc.’s live-TV streaming service offering 85+ channels, unlimited DVR and a reported 8M+ subscribers. The platform is identified as a vMVPD-style streaming app and integrates with Google’s Display & Video 360 for programmatic buying. State of Streaming’s profile links YouTube TV into Alphabet’s streaming family (Google TV, YouTube) and documents recent coverage about carriage disputes, pricing changes and product updates — including Disney blackouts and the rollout of cheaper, genre-focused plans in early 2026. The page positions YouTube TV as a significant CTV/OTT inventory source within Google’s ad ecosystem.
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