Despite the technological advancements and the widespread availability of digital content, German audiences predominantly engage with television programming.
Despite earlier forecasts, the majority of German viewers continue to lean towards conventional TV over streaming services. However, the latter are grappling with consistent expansion worries. Surprisingly, 81% of German viewers predominantly engage with traditional TV, slightly less than what was recorded three years prior (83%). On the flip side, Deloitte analysts anticipate a lull in the rapid expansion of competing streaming platforms: presently, 64% of German households boast a streaming subscription, maintained since last year, and marginally lower than the "Corona year" of 2022.
The findings originated from a survey of 2,000 German consumers regarding their TV and video viewing habits, known as the 2022 "Media Consumer Survey." This week, Germany's influential Media Days event kicks off in Munich.
The term "primary" consumption in the context of the survey indicates that respondents spent over half of their viewing time focusing on traditional television content. Conversely, only 19% claimed that they spent more than half their time consumed by "non-traditional video consumption."
Traditional TV exhibits strength in the presence of myriad video options, according to the study's creators. They attribute this resilience to its live nature, ease of "background" usage, and a loyal older generation of viewers.
However, the analysis suggests a plateauing of the streaming market. Sophia Pastowski, one of the researchers, shared this insight: "The extraordinary expansion that video-on-demand services witnessed during the Corona period now appears to have stagnated." Although user figures aren't soaring any higher, Deloitte reports that every second streaming customer now watches more content than the previous year.
Deloitte further highlights the trend of "provider-switching," with customers frequently acquiring and then cancelling subscriptions. According to the survey, around 10% of respondents both initiated and terminated a subscription last year. Pastowski forecasts an escalation of competition for screen time and audience budgets in the future.
Despite the growth in streaming services, the European Union's Deloitte analysts predict a slowdown in the expansion of competing platforms in Germany. This is reflected in the 64% of German households maintaining their streaming subscriptions, which is similar to the previous year's figure.
However, contrary to the belief that the European Union's digital transformation would significantly impact traditional TV, the 2022 "Media Consumer Survey" reveals that 81% of German viewers still predominantly engage with conventional TV.
