Italians shifting to digital and mobile media consumption
December 6, 2023
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
A shift towards digital and mobile media consumption is underway among Italians, according to the 57th annual report from Italian social and economic think tank Censis.
In 2022, traditional TV (DTT) viewership saw a contraction, dropping by 3.9 per cent from 2021. While satellite TV users experienced a slight growth (+1.4%), internet TV users (web TV and Smart TV) went up by a significant 10.9 per cent year-on-year, reaching 52.8 per cent of Italians – over half the population. Mobile TV use also boomed, rising from a mere 1 per cent in 2007 to a significant 34 per cent today.
Radio remains a key element of the media landscape in Italy, with nearly 80 per cent of Italians tuning in. While traditional home listening dipped slightly to 48 per cent, car radio listening surged to 69 per cent as pandemic restrictions eased and people hit the road again. Internet radio via PC held steady at 20.4 per cent, but the real action is on smartphones, where listening increased 5.4 per cent to 29.2 per cent in a year.
Internet usage and smartphone ownership are both approaching 90 per cent. Social media platforms are also seeing a surge in popularity, with over 82 per cent of Italians now active users.