Media usage in Germany is declining overall. This is the result of the new ARD/ZDF media study, which was published on Tuesday. The long-term studies of the two public broadcasters have been around for decades, with ARD since 1964 and ZDF since 1997. The new survey brings the studies together to take a new, holistic look at the media landscape, according to the joint statement from ARD and ZDF.
Per capita, the population aged 14 and over in Germany uses 384 minutes or almost six and a half hours per day. This is 28 minutes less than the previous year. The reason for this is the lower use of linear media. The amount of time spent listening to the radio is declining slightly more than the amount of time spent watching television. The amount of time spent using non-linear services such as streaming services and media libraries remains constant, so overall media consumption is decreasing.
Linearity is still in the lead
There are clear differences depending on the age group. Overall, linear use predominates for both video (58 percent) and audio (71 percent). However, among 14- to 29-year-olds, streaming services and media libraries are clearly ahead with 88 percent for video and 68 percent for audio. Among 30- to 49-year-olds, 65 percent of viewing time is spent on non-linear offerings, but the ratio is reversed for listening time (65 percent linear vs. 35 percent non-linear).
The decline in linear content does not directly benefit streamed content, as the ARD/ZDF media study shows. Although linear reach has fallen by six percentage points year-on-year to 73 percent, the reach of television programs in media libraries or on YouTube has remained constant, as has that of videos on streaming services. Netflix has the highest weekly reach at 35 percent, followed by Amazon Prime Video, the ARD Mediathek and the ZDFmediathek.
In the audio sector, too, the decline in linear radio does not automatically lead to growth in other offerings: linear radio lost four percentage points to 78 percent of at least weekly usage, but radio broadcasts and podcasts as well as music streaming services stagnated at the previous year’s levels.
In the text sector, the reach of printed magazines and newspapers continues to decline, and online offerings cannot benefit from this.