A. Guttmann
Research Lead covering media
Media usage in Norway - statistics & facts
The most popular medium in Norway is the internet. In fact, it outperforms other media by quite a large margin, as more than 90 percent of Norwegians go online on a daily basis. It comes as no surprise, seeing that close to all households in Norway had access to the internet in 2023. The most common activities performed via the internet among Norwegians include online banking, communication (e-mail), accessing news, and product research.
While the Nordic countries in general have a high internet usage penetration, Norway remains in the lead. Unsurprisingly, people in the country are switching to other digital media which are more accessible. Businesses wanting to reach the Norwegian consumer should do so online.
TV consumption in Norway is declining
Where does TV watching stand in the grand scheme of media usage in the country? Far, to be honest. In fact, recent data shows that television was the fifth most used medium in Norway. It is evident that Norwegians are spending less and less time watching television, with recent surveys indicating that they devote under two hours to this activity per day. What is more, TV viewing decreased over the last decade, from 80 percent of individuals in 2009 to less than 50 percent as of 2023. In terms of TV channels’ audience share, NRK1 – the first station of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation – ranks highest. Commercial channels TV 2 and TVNORGE came in at second and third place, respectively. Instead of traditional television, Norwegians watch linear TV online.Radio leading the digital age
Norway is the first country in the world to switch off FM radio. The decision was made in 2017 to overcome the issues with the country’s topography which made the FM waves unreachable in rural areas and radio broadcasting unprofitable. Instead, the DAB+ technology was introduced and since then radio users in the country access the medium digitally. In 2023, 52 percent of 45-to-66 year old Norwegians listened to DAB radio on an average day. However, in general, daily time spent listening to the radio in Norway has been decreasing, with the most recent data indicating less than an hour spent with this medium per day.While the Nordic countries in general have a high internet usage penetration, Norway remains in the lead. Unsurprisingly, people in the country are switching to other digital media which are more accessible. Businesses wanting to reach the Norwegian consumer should do so online.
