Decoder with Nilay Patel · Monday, September 14, 2026
Adam Conover states that YouTube has become the largest streaming service on television sets, a fact that is surprising to many in Hollywood. He argues that traditional media companies, in their rush to emulate Netflix, neglected crucial programming categories like news and talk shows, which have since been ceded to YouTube.
“Did you know that YouTube is the largest streaming service on television sets on not on, not for laptops, for phones, for, you know, I know you know this, Nile.”
“In their rush to chase Netflix, right? Netflix came in and disrupted them quite directly. And they said, okay, we all have to create our own little mini HBOs that everyone is going to pay $15 a month for.”
“News, talk shows, comedy talk shows, lifestyle programming, their Drew Barrymore show, travel shows, uh, the weather. All of those things, they let go to YouTube specifically.”