TVs in Europe, the USA and China. What and how we watch on them

illustration: DALL-E

Interesting conclusions come from a study conducted in early 2026 by RTL AdAlliance on a group of 15,500 respondents aged 18-64 across 15 European countries, including Poland, as well as the USA and China. It turns out that 9 out of 10 residents of our continent have a television in their home. Europeans are much more likely than residents of the United States or citizens of the Middle Kingdom to watch video content on TV every day.

• 64% of surveyed residents of the Old Continent do so.
• For comparison, in the USA, 41% of users watch content on TV every day.
• In China, this figure is 40%.

"The television remains the most popular device for consuming video content both in Europe and in Poland. The example of MEGOGO, a platform for watching TV content online that also offers access to a VOD library, shows that despite the strong position of TVs, other devices also find their supporters," comments Artur Pacuła, CEO of MEGOGO in Poland. "This is a result of the technological capabilities offered by apps. They can be installed on practically any device, allowing users to enjoy content from anywhere."


MEGOGO data from 2025 confirms the popularity and dominance of televisions. Last year, 44.92% of users watched content on this platform using a TV. This consisted of traffic from:

• Smart TV (34.58%),
• Android TV (10.15%),
• and tvOS (0.19%).

Smartphones were used for this purpose by more than every fifth person (22.48%). Additionally, including mobile web users—who might watch content on a smartphone without using the app (8.37%)—we reach a total of 30.85%. A computer or laptop was also chosen by more than one in five users (23.50%).

Smartphones outpace TVs in the United States and China

While the television remains the most popular device for watching video content in Europe, it has been outpaced by the smartphone in the United States and China.

• In the USA, 61% of respondents use it daily for this purpose (20% more often than TV).
• In China, this figure is as high as 81%, meaning it is more than twice as preferred as the TV, which is used by the aforementioned 40% of respondents.

The living room is the most popular place to watch video content

When asked "where do you most like to watch video content?", 83% of respondents in Europe indicated the living room, which decisively beat the bedroom (46%). These were followed by the kitchen (18%) and the bathroom/toilet (11%).


"Comparing habits regarding preferred places to watch video content brings interesting conclusions. In Europe, the living room is not just a room for entertainment or rest. It is a place where people experience something more," comments Artur Pacuła from MEGOGO Poland. "Nearly half of viewers—45 percent as a European average—still choose to watch with someone else, turning screen time into a shared moment rather than a solitary routine. This shapes behaviors: conversation or shared emotions, providing a sense of presence."

Europe shows clear differences compared to other markets. The preference for the living room is 25% higher than in the United States, where it stands at 58%. The bedroom enjoys almost identical popularity among Americans, with 55% of users from that country watching video content there. the kitchen is chosen by 19%, and the bathroom by 13%.

There is some similarity between the Chinese and Europeans regarding content consumption in the living room. It is preferred by 81% of Chinese residents participating in the RTL AdAlliance study. Just behind the living room was the bedroom, indicated by 71% of respondents. The kitchen and toilet gained the same percentage: 28%.