A. Guttmann
Research Lead covering media
Online media and entertainment usage in Europe - statistics & facts
The digital media market in Europe shows significant revenue disparities among countries, with the United Kingdom leading the pack at 20.4 billion U.S. dollars. This stark contrast in market sizes highlights the varying levels of digital media consumption across the continent. Germany and France follow as the second and third largest markets, while smaller nations like Luxembourg trail far behind. Yet, it is undeniable that media and entertainment usage is changing in favor of online sources.
While online media are not necessarily trusted for news, they are definitely preferred for entertainment, Europeans are increasing their time spent with digital media and traditional sources are becoming less popular.
Media consumption habits evolve in Europe
Internet users in Western Europe are spending significant time across various media platforms, with digital devices dominating their consumption habits. In fact, three out of five top media used daily by Europeans are online-based. In the second half of 2023, users reported spending the most time on PCs, laptops, and tablets at two hours and 56 minutes daily, closely followed by mobile phone usage at two hours and 44 minutes. Traditional broadcast TV still holds a strong position, with viewers tuning in for two hours and 14 minutes per day on average. However, the television is slowly turning into a device rather than medium, where younger generations are using it to stream video or watch other online platforms instead of live TV.Regional variations in digital media use
While Western Europe shows strong engagement with digital platforms, Central and Eastern Europe demonstrate even higher usage rates for mobile devices. Internet users in this region spend an average of three hours and 52 minutes daily on their mobiles, surpassing PC, laptop, and tablet usage by a small margin. Social media and messaging apps also see significant daily use at two hours and 23 minutes. These figures highlight the growing importance of mobile and social platforms in shaping media consumption trends across Europe.Shifting landscape of media trust
As media consumption patterns change, so do attitudes towards different media types. Trust in media has generally decreased across the European Union, with online social media facing particular skepticism. Traditional media sources continue to be regarded as the most credible for news, despite the overall decline in daily consumption of television on TV sets, radio, and print press. The rise of internet usage and online TV viewing reflects the ongoing digital transformation of media consumption habits.While online media are not necessarily trusted for news, they are definitely preferred for entertainment, Europeans are increasing their time spent with digital media and traditional sources are becoming less popular.
