The media consumption habits of the younger generations significantly differ from the average, as stated in this year’s Media Market Report by the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH).

According to their report, today’s media economy requires all its players to adapt continuously due to the rise of diverse online business models, the growing influence of global platforms, and changing consumption habits, particularly the transformation in the media usage of younger age groups. The report quotes NMHH President András Koltay, who highlighted that transparent regulatory operations, market and societal relationships, and fact-based assessments are essential to prepare and respond most effectively to these challenges.

The report comprehensively examined the trends in radio, television, print and online press, new media platforms,

as well as news consumption and advertising market developments. It also analysed developments in the cinema and film market and the evolution of the out-of-home advertising market, as well as the media consumption habits of young people. The NMHH president pointed out that the report’s ‘uniformly positive reception’ in the past year reinforced his conviction that their chosen objective and structured professional approach can initiate meaningful dialogues.

Koltay went on to emphasize that this is possible even in extremely sensitive and often ideologically or emotionally charged areas, such as the diversity of media consumption, the role of press freedom in the digital age, or the market-distorting impact of global platforms on the online media service and advertising market.

The media authority also noted that current analyses suggest that the consumption habits of younger generations change more rapidly than general trends. For example, 13-17-year-olds and 18-29-year-olds spend only 133 and 144 minutes, respectively, on average watching TV daily, compared to the national average of 289 minutes. According to the NMHH, these data also show that the decline in TV viewership among young people becomes noticeable around the age of 13, as online content consumption takes over the role of children’s channels.

In sumary, the report also points out similar trends in radio listening. In 2022, 15–19-year-olds spent on average 64 per cent less time listening to the radio compared to four years earlier, while 20-29-year-olds spent one-third less time compared to the data from 2019. NMHH also drew attention to the fact that the

circulation figures for printed daily newspapers, magazines, and journals have been declining for years.

Among Hungarians over the age of 15, only about 44 per cent read printed newspapers regularly, and this ratio is even lower among younger age groups.

The advancement of online media consumption is also reflected in the fact that 8-15-year-olds spent nearly four hours on average in front of their smartphone screens daily in 2022. In this regard, the NMHH stated that ‘practically, what is not accessible on a smartphone does not exist for them.’ The average device usage time also increased in direct proportion to age.

Young people use various platforms, formats, and content on their phones simultaneously, and this usage is continuously integrated into their daily routine. The report states that in 2022, 58 per cent of internet users in Hungary spent more than three hours on average in front of screens daily. As for advertising, the report noted that the growth of advertising revenues stagnated in 2022, and the nominal growth showed a significant decline in real terms. Global digital platforms played a dominant role in the growth of internet advertising revenues. In 2022, nearly two-thirds of the estimated total Hungarian online advertising market revenue of around 163 billion forints went into the coffers of Facebook and Google.

In a study examining news consumption and information acquisition, it was found that barely four per cent of the 15–75 age group uses all four different media types, 24 per cent choose three, 44 per cent select two, and 23 per cent rely on a single source to stay informed. Three per cent of the respondents do not use any media types at all to get information about world events.

The role of the internet is becoming increasingly dominant, and the popularity of digital navigation methods continues to grow. However, in the continuously expanding media landscape, there are also risks. Seventy-four per cent of internet users over the age of 16 who use social media have encountered harmful content, fake news, and fraudulent advertisements, the NMHH reported.

Therefore,

the NMHH considers it of paramount importance to contribute to improved media literacy and the development of the country’s media culture

through its statutory tools, as stated in the Media Market Report.

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