The Media Barometers are surveys designed to measure daily media usage. The Swedish Media Barometer has been conducted annually since 1979, and its Norwegian counterpart since 1991. These comprehensive assessments are carried out by Nordicom in Sweden, with support from the Swedish Ministry of Culture, and Statistics Norway, respectively.
Insights from Sweden
Media Consumption: Moving images were the most consumed media, with 95% watching traditional or streamed TV, web-TV, movies, and video clips daily. Social networking services were used by 85% daily, surpassing radio (77%) and newspapers (66%).
Total Media Time: Daily media usage averaged nearly seven hours, with more time spent on moving images (138 minutes) compared to audio media (133 minutes), including TV, YouTube, radio, podcasts, and music.
Radio Listening: Car radio was the most common way to listen to the radio, with 55% of the population tuning in daily. Traditional radio sets were used by 31%, while Internet-based listening (podcasts and live web radio) were less common (29% and 22%, respectively).
Television Viewing: On an average day, 95% watched moving images, with 89% watching TV. Streamed TV reached 65%, traditional TV 51%, YouTube 48%, and other online content 29%.
Newspaper Reading: 66% read a daily newspaper, predominantly digitally (56%) over print (22%). Morning newspapers were read by 52%, mostly digitally (40%). Evening newspapers had a 43% daily reach, also mainly digital.
Magazine and Book Reading: 35% read magazines, mostly on paper (22%), rising to 58% weekly. Book reading included 49% daily (37% printed, 15% audiobooks, 7% e-books), with fiction being the most popular genre.
Social Networks: Facebook (61%) and Instagram (60%) were the most used social networks, except among the youngest, where Snapchat and TikTok were more popular.
News Consumption: SVT was the top news source (51%), followed by SR (41%) and morning newspapers (33%). Facebook was the most used social network for news (25%), especially among younger age groups, who also preferred TikTok and Instagram.
Smartphone Access: Almost everyone (98%) had access to a smartphone, the most widespread media technology, followed by television and laptops. Media players (71%) and tablets (69%) were also common.
Subscription Services: Half the population (49%) had a daily newspaper subscription, mostly digital (40%). Subscription TV-streaming services were accessible to 76%, and music/podcast services to 71%, with the highest access in the 15–24 age group.
For a comprehensive look at the findings, the full report (in Swedish) is available for free download here. Additionally, a webinar discussing the results can be viewed here.
Insights from Norway
Media Evolution: Since 1991, media consumption trends have evolved, with newspapers, linear TV, and radio yielding to mobile phones and the Internet as primary media tools.
Internet Usage: 94% of the population is now connected to the Internet daily, with even older demographics showing increased usage compared to previous years.
Printed Newspapers Decline: Daily readership of printed newspapers has decreased significantly, with only 17% reading them daily compared to 84% in 1991. This marks the lowest percentage recorded.
Online Newspaper Reading: Daily readership of online newspapers has also declined since 2020, with 59% in 2023 compared to 70% in 2020. This marks a notable decrease.
Social Media Impact: Social media platforms, particularly TikTok, are increasingly used for news consumption, especially among younger demographics. Facebook and Messenger remain popular among those over 35, while Snapchat is preferred by those under 35.
Radio and Television: Approximately half the population listens to radio daily, with usage increasing with age. Television ownership remains steady, with around half watching linear TV daily. This trend is consistent across age groups.
Video Media Consumption: Half of the population engages with video media daily, with nearly half streaming video content. Additionally, nearly nine out of ten have access to paid streaming services, including older age groups. Preferences for watching shorter video clips online vary significantly between age groups.
Digital Gaming: Digital gaming remains popular among young boys, with seven out of ten playing daily. This trend has remained stable over the years.
Magazine and Book Reading: Reading magazines is more common among older women, while comics are popular across age groups. One-quarter of the population reads printed books daily, with the youngest and oldest demographics reading the most. This demonstrates the enduring popularity of printed books despite digital advancements.
The full report (in Norwegian) can be found here.
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