illustration: Bing AIEuropeans are spending less time in front of the TV, according to the 2024 report “Television Audience Trends 2024” published by the European Broadcasting Union. Analysts from the EBU Media Intelligence Service report that in 2023, the average daily TV viewing time was 3 hours and 16 minutes, an 18-minute drop compared to 2018. For the youth group (15–24 years old), the situation is even more striking – the average time fell to just 1 hour and 12 minutes, 28 minutes less than five years earlier.
These changes highlight the significant decline in interest in traditional television among younger age groups. In nine countries, the average viewing time among young people dropped below 30 minutes per day. Five years ago, no country recorded such results. In 2020, only four countries reported similar results, indicating a rapid acceleration of this trend.
In countries like the Netherlands and Sweden, young people increasingly prefer streaming platforms over traditional TV channels. The popularity of services like Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok is growing among the youth, who favor short, dynamic content available on demand. This shift has significant implications for broadcasters trying to adapt to new viewer preferences.
Examples illustrating changing habits:
- Rising subscriptions to platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
- Increased viewership of short video content on mobile devices.
TV Reach: Declining Dominance
In 2023, the weekly TV reach was 80%, a drop of 5.8 percentage points compared to 2018. Among youth, the reach was significantly lower – only 53.6%, a decrease of 14.4 percentage points. These figures clearly show that young viewers are moving away from traditional forms of television in favor of new media.
Weekly TV Reach (2018–2023)
| Age Group | 2018 | 2023 | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All viewers | 85.8% | 80.0% | -5.8 |
| Youth (15–24) | 68.0% | 53.6% | -14.4 |
The decline in reach among youth is particularly noticeable in countries like Finland and Norway, where only about half of young people watch TV weekly. In Greece, where TV reach in this age group was above 70% a few years ago, it fell to less than 50% in 2023.
Examples of changing reach:
- Declining viewership of traditional news among young viewers.
- Increased popularity of social media as a news source.
Live Viewing and Time-Shifted Content
Most Europeans still watch live TV, but time-shifted viewing is growing in importance. In 2023, 12% of total viewing time was spent on content watched outside real-time. Among youth, this share was 16%, reflecting greater flexibility in media consumption.
Share of Live and Time-Shifted Viewing in 2023
| Viewing Type | All Viewers (%) | Youth (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Live | 88% | 84% |
| Time-Shifted | 12% | 16% |
In countries like the UK and Denmark, where technology allows widespread access to catch-up TV services, youth increasingly watch programs at their convenience. Data from the report shows that in nine countries, an average of 20% of TV viewing time consisted of time-shifted content. Five years ago, such a share was recorded in only one country.
Examples of trends:
- Increased popularity of catch-up TV platforms like BBC iPlayer in the UK.
- Share of content viewed after broadcast exceeding 25% in Sweden.
Public Television Holding Steady
Despite the overall decline in viewership, public television maintains a relatively stable market share. In 2023, the average daily market share for PSM was 23% among all viewers and 17% among youth. This indicates that public television performs better in retaining its audience compared to competitors.
List of most popular PSM program genres:
- News and information magazines dominating in many markets.
- Entertainment programs like game shows and reality TV.
- Films and series, which are highly popular in Western Europe.
The report highlights that in 48% of analyzed countries, leading public TV channels rank first in viewership. For example, in France, five out of the ten most-watched programs are public TV productions. Similar results were observed in Germany, where PSM programs dominate evening time slots.
* * *
The “Television Audience Trends 2024” report was prepared by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) based on data from national TV audience measurement systems (TAM). The analysis covers the years 2018–2023 and includes both live viewing and time-shifted viewing (up to 7 days after live broadcast). The methodology relies on aggregated data from 42 markets, excluding those with differences in definitions or methods. The report is supplemented by data from partners such as Glance, providing a comprehensive understanding of changing trends.
The full report is available for free at
https://www.ebu.ch/publications/research/membersonly/report/audience-trends-television
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section Media industry
How to silence fake news? Young Latinos support internet censorship
Krzysztof Fiedorek
In Brazil, a court shut down platform X, cutting off 40 million users. In Colombia, 70% of citizens want information control, and in Chile, 75% of young people support censoring fake news. Is information security replacing freedom of speech as a new trend? [STUDY]
Communication gap. Is anyone listening to Polish women?
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Brands claim they understand women. Media say they speak their language. Meanwhile the report "Polki 2025" shows that most messages still miss the mark. Women do not want empty slogans. They expect a dialogue that truly relates to them.
Most medical influencer posts on TikTok are FALSE
KFi
Researchers from East Carolina University Health Medical Center analysed 120 TikTok videos tagged with hashtags such as #naturalparenting, #antivaccine, and #holistichealth. The results of their study leave no doubt.
See articles on a similar topic:
We Trust AI-Generated Fake News More Than Human-Created News
KrzysztoF
Generating and spreading misinformation with AI can negatively affect various areas of life, including global healthcare. To examine how AI-created text impacts the comprehension of information, researchers from the University of Zurich analyzed tweets generated by GPT-3.
Women in media 2025. Editorial power knows no equality
KFi
Only 27% of editors-in-chief in the media are women, even though they make up 40% of journalists. In 9 out of 12 countries studied by the Reuters Institute, women in media are less likely to get promoted. It seems that equality in newsrooms is lagging behind broader society. And the gaps go much further.
Artificial Intelligence in the Media. Reuters Digital News Report 2024
Krzysztof Fiedorek
AI has gained prominence in recent years, and its application in producing, distributing, and presenting news content continues to grow. However, this development is met with mixed feelings by audiences, which has significant consequences for media trust and its future.
Gen Alpha avoids tough topics. What young people are really looking for
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Generation Alpha prefers humor in 46% of cases, while only 12% are interested in news and political topics. Young people and children consciously limit what negatively affects their emotions - according to the report "Gen Alpha Unfiltered" published by GWI.





























