Global Media Intelligence 2019: Germany

Key Features

Like France, many internet users in Germany are still firmly engaged with traditional media and have not rushed to adopt newer tech.

• Broadcast TV’s reach rose within the past year, according to GlobalWebIndex and Publicis Media. Some 90.4% of Germany’s internet users ages 16 to 64 had watched TV in the month prior to polling in Q1 2018; in Q1 2019, that share was 92.8%. The average time spent each day with broadcast TV remained unchanged, at 2 hours, 16 minutes (2:16).
• Print newspapers have retained substantial audiences, though penetration is declining among younger people. As of Q1 2019, 50.7% of internet users ages 16 to 24 had read a print newspaper in the prior month. And usage remained high among 55- to 64-year-olds, at 76.6%.
• Magazine readership is also strong among 16- to 24-year-olds, with a 52.6% penetration rate in Q1 2019. More than 73% of the oldest cohort (55 to 64) had read a print magazine in the prior month. The reach of print press has remained higher in suburban and rural areas than in urban areas, however, and among internet users in more affluent households.
• Smartphones took some time to catch on in Germany, especially among older residents, but convenience and affordability have now made converts of all but the most resistant consumers. This year, 93.6% of internet users said they owned a smartphone. That’s not to say that these consumers spend a great deal of time on their phones. The average time spent per day with mobile was 1:49—well below the average 3:02 spent each day with desktops, laptops and tablets.
• Both tablet and game console ownership were relatively high, at 52.2% and 35.2%, respectively. Germany’s web users have typically been less keen on devices such as smartwatches, virtual reality (VR) headsets and smart-home products—not least because of concerns about data privacy and security. That said, affluents were much more likely to own any of these items.