Media usage in Portugal - statistics & facts
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Following the global trend, Portugal has seen an increasing shift towards digital media formats during recent years. In 2024, the internet penetration rate equaled 88.5 percent, and the oldest the age group, the less likely it was to use the internet. When going online, the Portuguese mostly enjoy communicating online via instant messengers and accessing information through different media channels.
Online gaming is a media activity that is more common among younger adults in Portugal. In 2024, over 55 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds played online games, with almost 28 percent of them playing for up to one hour per day. The music industry has also been affected by the digital transition, as streaming platforms generated three times the revenue of physical music sales in 2023. However, when purchasing a music album, the Portuguese prefer the physical version over the digital one, which points to the resistance of traditional media formats for at least some media products.
Physical books are also preferred over e-books and audiobooks, with 97 percent of book-buyers choosing the traditional format. Among different literary genres, the novel is by far the most favorite among book readers in the country. However, reading in general is not as popular in Portugal as being on social media or watching films. Over 60 percent of the Portuguese read for leisure, while more than 70 percent use social networks.
Whether it is favoring the digital format or maintaining the preference for the traditional, media usage is expected to continue as a very relevant element of the daily life in Portugal. The digital shift is made clear through the purchases of the Portuguese, as significant shares of people bought video and music content online in 2024.
Digital media on the rise
In the first quarter of 2019, there were 80,000 digital newspapers and magazines in circulation, which increased to over 132,000 in the third quarter of 2024. Contrarily, printed circulation dramatically decreased from 1.2 million to 396,730 during the same period. Thus, even though the traditional format for news is still more prevalent, it is losing importance to its digital counterpart. When it came to trusting news sources, the Portuguese felt more confidence in the information they received from television channels, radio stations, and the written press, without differentiating between traditional and online versions.Online gaming is a media activity that is more common among younger adults in Portugal. In 2024, over 55 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds played online games, with almost 28 percent of them playing for up to one hour per day. The music industry has also been affected by the digital transition, as streaming platforms generated three times the revenue of physical music sales in 2023. However, when purchasing a music album, the Portuguese prefer the physical version over the digital one, which points to the resistance of traditional media formats for at least some media products.
Traditional media are still influential
Despite the growth in the use of digital media and the fact that the internet is used during the highest number of hours per day among all media, traditional communication forms are yet not completely overthrown. In fact, the most-used media channel is television, as over 80 percent of the population consumed it in 2024, though the penetration of online TV has continuously increased over recent years.Physical books are also preferred over e-books and audiobooks, with 97 percent of book-buyers choosing the traditional format. Among different literary genres, the novel is by far the most favorite among book readers in the country. However, reading in general is not as popular in Portugal as being on social media or watching films. Over 60 percent of the Portuguese read for leisure, while more than 70 percent use social networks.
Whether it is favoring the digital format or maintaining the preference for the traditional, media usage is expected to continue as a very relevant element of the daily life in Portugal. The digital shift is made clear through the purchases of the Portuguese, as significant shares of people bought video and music content online in 2024.
