YouTube’s $40.4 B Ad Revenue Tops Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery’s $37.8 B Combined
YouTube’s 2025 ad revenue of $40.4 billion exceeded the combined $37.8 billion generated by Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. That marked a reversal from 2024, when those four studios collected $41.8 billion while YouTube garnered $36.1 billion.
1. Ad Revenue Comparison
In 2025, YouTube generated $40.4 billion in ad revenue, surpassing the $37.8 billion combined total of Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery and signaling a shift in advertiser spend toward digital platforms.
2. Year-Over-Year Reversal
In 2024, the four studios collectively earned $41.8 billion in ad sales versus YouTube’s $36.1 billion, illustrating a rapid acceleration in YouTube’s monetization and a notable downturn for traditional media ad revenues.
3. Implications for Warner Bros. Discovery
The shortfall underscores ongoing challenges for Warner Bros. Discovery’s linear TV advertising amid rising production costs and shrinking audiences, intensifying pressure to expand its streaming ad business and digital offerings.