Media consumption in 2023: Average daily use of audio and audiovisual media in Germany approaches 10 hours
Media consumption in 2023: Average daily use of audio and audiovisual media in Germany approaches 10 hours
Berlin, February 13, 2024
Minor dip in media consumption following coronavirus peak
Audio and Audiovisual media usage consumption nearly an hour above pre-pandemic level
Surge in consumption mainly driven by audio and video streaming
Commercial media play key role in countering disinformation and fake news
Analysis also highlights media usage trends over the last 40 years since the start of commercial broadcasting in Germany
In 2023, individuals aged 14 and above in Germany consumed audio and audiovisual media for an average of 9 hours and 46 minutes daily. This represents a slight decrease of eight minutes from the previous year (2022: 9 hours and 54 minutes), yet it remains significantly above the pre-pandemic figure (2019: 8 hours and 59 minutes). Moreover, the share of audio and audiovisual media within the total media time budget increased slightly to 87.6% (2022: 87.4%). Forty years ago, average daily radio and TV consumption was just 4 hours and 25 minutes. These are the primary insights from the latest VAUNET Media Usage Analysis for 2023, compiled by the VAUNET German Association of Private Media based on secondary sources and published today.
Frank Giersberg, Managing Director of VAUNET: “Forty years on from the inception of commercial broadcasting in Germany, radio and television as well as audio and video services are by far the most widely used media. This gives rise to a unique societal responsibility, which commercial media fulfil by providing trustworthy entertainment, news and information content. They serve as a safeguard against disinformation and fake news, playing a vital role in the protection of democracy.”
Johannes Leibiger, Head of Media Economics & Research at VAUNET: “After the significant surge in usage in Germany during the Covid pandemic, the daily consumption of audio and audiovisual media in 2023 stabilized at a high level again, still nearly an hour above the level before the crisis. While total media consumption slightly decreased compared to the previous year, online video consumption saw a notable increase in 2023. However, the vast majority of audio and audiovisual consumption still comprises the daily consumption of linear radio and television.”
To mark the fortieth anniversary of commercial broadcasting in Germany, in this year’s Media Usage Analysis covering 2023, the VAUNET German Association of Private Media has also examined the evolution of TV and radio usage over the past forty years.
Average daily audio consumption in 2023 was estimated at 4 hours and 4 minutes, a decrease of 13 minutes compared to the previous year (2022: 4 hours and 17 minutes). Post pandemic, audio consumption is returning to normal levels but remains higher than before the crisis (2019: 3 hours and 56 minutes). In 2023, weekday radio listening continued to dominate, with listeners aged 14 and above tuning in for a daily average of 2 hours and 59 minutes (2022: 3 hours and 6 minutes). In 1983, the year before the launch of commercial radio, the average time spent listening to the radio every day was 2 hours and 36 minutes.
Daily video consumption amounted to 5 hours and 42 minutes in 2023, marking a slight increase of five minutes from the previous year (2022: 5 hours and 37 minutes). This rise was primarily attributed to an upturn in online video usage, which went up by 18 minutes among viewers aged 14 to 69. Although daily television viewership among Germans aged 14 and above decreased to 3 hours and 20 minutes (2022: 3 hours 33 minutes), it still constitutes the majority of daily video consumption in Germany. Forty years previously, the average time spent watching television was just 1 hour and 49 minutes per day.
In 2023, 88.7% of individuals aged 14 and over in Germany watched television regularly (2022: 89.9%), while 94.1% of adults aged 14 and above habitually listened to audio and radio content (2022: 94.1%). The daily reach was 64.8% for television (2022: 67.2%) and 75.2% for audio (2022: 75.7%).
Total daily media consumption in Germany across all media genres in 2023 amounted to 11 hours and 9 minutes, showing a decline of 11 minutes over the previous year (2022: 11 hours and 20 minutes). However, when compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, total media usage in 2023 was up by 44 minutes (2019: 10 hours and 25 minutes).
VAUNET’s Media Usage Analysis is based on the ongoing evaluation of third-party sources, including data provided by agma Media Analysis Working Group, VuMA Consumption and Media Analysis and the Video Research Working Group as well as the Media Activity Guide and the ViewTime Report published by SevenOne Media and forsa. Since cross-media information on the duration of daily media usage is gathered from a variety of sources, the total figures in particular should merely be regarded as approximate values owing to methodological differences. The comparative data relating to daily media consumption in the various categories is gleaned from figures provided by agma regarding radio and audio usage (listeners aged 14 and over), the AGF Video Research Working Group for TV usage (viewers aged 14 and over), as well as the Media Activity Guide and the ViewTime Report published by SevenOne Media and forsa concerning the consumption of other media (users aged between 14 and 69). Data on the total reach of television and radio is based on the cumulative viewership and listenership over periods of two weeks for TV and four weeks for radio.
Other VAUNET publications
VAUNET keeps track of market developments in Germany’s audio and audiovisual media sector with regular surveys and publications. In May 2024, VAUNET will publish its annual spring forecast for the advertising market based on the advertising statistics for 2023. Its pay TV statistics outlining developments on the pay TV market will be published in July 2024, to be followed in October 2024 by its revenue forecast for audio and audiovisual media.
According to VAUNET’s annual autumn forecast, the total revenue from audio and audiovisual media in Germany in 2024 is projected to rise by 4.3%, totalling €16.0 billion (2023: €15.3 billion).
Die Gesamtumsätze der Audio- und audiovisuellen Medien in Deutschland werden im laufenden Gesamtjahr 2024 voraussichtlich um 4,3 Prozent auf insgesamt 16,0 Milliarden Euro steigen. Das ist das Ergebnis der jährlichen Herbstprognose des VAUNET.
The market for pay TV and paid video content in Germany is continuing its positive development. Revenues from pay TV and paid video on demand (VOD) grew by 8.8 % to €5.4 billion in 2023.