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ARD/ZDF Media Study: PSM Streaming Services Surpass Private Streaming Platforms in Reach

3 October 2025
A recent study from ARD & ZDF on the latest media consumption trends reveals that public broadcasting streaming networks and 3sat now outperform private streaming services.
ZDF building with banners.
ZDF building. Credit: ZDF.

This article was originally published by ZDF.

The public broadcasting streaming networks of ARD, ZDF, Arte, and 3sat now outperform private streaming services in terms of reach. Podcast usage is noticeably increasing, and YouTube remains the most widely used individual platform—these are key findings of the latest ARD/ZDF Media Study.

In 2025, YouTube confirms its leading position among video streaming platforms, reaching 72% of the population aged 14 and older. The public broadcasting streaming networks of ARD, ZDF, Arte, and 3sat reach over 60%, closely followed by Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Notably, 85% of people in Germany now use more than one streaming platform—on average, 2.5 services per person.

Podcast growth is especially evident among age groups over 30. Among those aged 50–69 and over 70, regular usage has significantly increased by four and five percentage points respectively, reaching 25% and 14%. However, the 14–29 age group remains the strongest podcast user segment, with 48% regular usage. The rising daily reach of podcasts indicates their growing integration into people’s everyday media habits. Across all age groups, daily reach rose by three percentage points to 14% in 2025.

Latest Research Insights

Trend: Digital media usage continues to grow

Across all media types, the trend in Germany continues toward digital offerings. Older age groups in particular are increasingly using streaming services for both video and audio content. Nevertheless, linear television and radio remain the media with the highest reach. Overall, cross-media daily reach remains stable at 98%, and average media usage per person in 2025 is 6.5 hours per day.

“The study once again shows how important and essential it is to position ARD digitally. We are actively shaping a usage trend that, in our view, is irreversible.” – ARD Chairman and HR Director, Florian Hager

“A ZDF for everyone means being present where our audience is. This study not only highlights the growing relevance of our streaming services—it also represents a new approach to data: We are enhancing market transparency and making our study data available to everyone—open source instead of black box.” – Dr. Florian Kumb, Director of Audience at ZDF

Study results now publicly accessible and comparable

As in previous years, detailed results on media usage are published by Media Perspektiven and on the study’s website. For independent analysis, the study’s publishers are now offering a new analysis tool for the first time: The free, publicly accessible software MedienSwift allows users to view current data and compare it with the studies from 2024 and 2023.

Additional findings from the 2025 Media Study:

  • 63% of the German population regularly use social media, though growth is slowing.
  • Instagram remains the leader with 40% weekly reach but is losing ground among younger users.
  • Facebook follows with 31%, and TikTok continues to grow, reaching 20%.
About the ARD/ZDF Media Study

The ARD/ZDF Media Study has been commissioned for many years by the ARD/ZDF Research Commission to annually collect foundational data and trends on media usage in Germany. With its latest publication, the study continues a time series dating back to 1964. For this year’s study, 2,512 German-speaking individuals aged 14 and older were surveyed: 70% via telephone using a representative dual-frame sample, and 30% via an online panel. The survey was conducted by the GIM Institute between January 28 and April 18, 2025.

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