VAUNET Media Usage Analysis 2025: Media consumption in Germany approaches 11 hours perday

Johannes Leibiger, Head of Media Business & Research at VAUNET, said: “Media consumption in Germany remained at a consistently high and stable level in 2025 and continues to be shaped primarily by audio and audiovisual content. The enduring relevance of linear services such as television and radio is clearly evident: despite growing digital consumption, they still account for the largest share. At the same time, video and audio streaming are gaining further importance and are increasingly driving media consumption online. VAUNET member companies are present across all distribution channels and act as a key driver of transformation within Germany’s media landscape.”

Frank Giersberg, Managing Director of VAUNET, commented: “Current developments clearly underline the social relevance of audio and audiovisual media. In times of disinformation and fake news, their reliable content plays a vital role in safeguarding democracy. Commercial media services financed through the market depend on fair competitive conditions vis-à-vis big tech platforms and licence-fee-funded broadcasters, as well as on the adequate protection of their revenue bases. In the advertising market, all stakeholders share responsibility for safeguarding independent journalism and democratic media. This also means allocating advertising investment towards trusted, professionally produced media environments.”

Average daily audio consumption in 2025 amounted to 4 hours and 19 minutes, representing an increase of 6 minutes on the previous year (2024: 4 hours and 13 minutes). Of this, 3 hours and 9 minutes – the largest share – continued to be accounted for by weekday radio listening (2024: 3 hours and 3 minutes). The remaining audio consumption was largely attributable to online audio services, with 50 minutes spent on music streaming (2024: 49 minutes) and 9 minutes on podcasts (2024: 10 minutes)

Daily video consumption totalled 5 hours and 19 minutes in 2025. This included 2
hours and 55 minutes of television viewing (2024: 3 hours and 8 minutes), 1 hour and 43
minutes of online video use (2024: 1 hour and 38 minutes) and 38 minutes spent on
video games (2024: 37 minutes).

The high relevance of audio and audiovisual media in Germany is also reflected in their reach. Radio and television, alongside audio and video streaming, reach almost the entire population. In 2025, 85.7% of people aged 14 and over watched television regularly, while 92.3% listened regularly to audio or radio content. Daily reach stood at 59.1% for television and 75.1% for audio.

Comprehensive data, analyses and insights into the development of audio and audiovisual media consumption in 2025, both overall and by segment, are available for download on the VAUNET website.

Methodology:
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 (discontinued since the end of 2025) and AGF Videoforschung as well as the Media Activity Guide and the ViewTime Report published by Seven.One 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 Videoforschung for TV usage (viewers aged 14 and over), as well as the Media Activity Guide and the ViewTime Report published by Seven.One 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 or four weeks.

Other VAUNET publications:
VAUNET keeps track of market developments in Germany’s audio and audiovisual media sector with regular surveys and publications. In May 2026, VAUNET will publish its annual spring forecast for the advertising market based on the advertising statistics for 2025. Its pay TV statistics outlining developments on the pay TV market will be published approximately in July 2026, to be followed in October 2026 by its revenue forecast for audio and audiovisual media.