For the first time since the Great Recession, global media consumption is poised to fall under the combined strain of digital saturation, tightening wallets, and a calendar year lacking global spectacles – signaling what may be the beginning of a new era for radio.
Time spent with consumer media globally rose 2.4% in 2024, averaging 57.2 hours per week, according to PQ Media’s Global Consumer Media Usage Forecast 2025–2029. However, the growth masks deeper challenges facing traditional platforms like radio, which continue to cede ground to digital alternatives.
While events such as the Summer Olympics and widespread national elections fueled a short-term boost, the report projects a 0.3% dip in overall media usage for 2025 – the first decline since 2009.
PQ Media CEO Patrick Quinn said, “Consumers worldwide tighten their overall budgets due to an expected rise in inflation and possible recession due to the tariff wars instigated by the new Trump administration in the United States. However, the decline will be short-lived, as gains are expected in 2026, when more than a dozen major countries hold federal elections, the Winter Olympics are held in Italy, and the FIFA World Cup is tri-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.”
Radio’s share of global media consumption remains under pressure, with younger generations continuing to migrate toward digital-first audio formats.
“With streaming services replacing broadcast & cable TV, over-the-air radio, DVDs and CDs, and mobile games and podcasts increasingly being developed that are targeted towards young children, the use of traditional media platforms and channels will continue to decline at a more rapid rate each year,” commented Quinn.
Despite these trends, AM/FM remains competitive in vehicles, although its dominance is eroding as infotainment systems and streaming integrations become standard.
PQ Media’s analysis indicates that digital audio continues its upward trajectory, led by OTT audio, mobile apps, and podcasting. In 2024, mobile video posted the highest digital growth rate at 16.7%, but audio content also saw gains, especially among younger demographics in high-income countries.
Quinn also points to a generational transition: the emergence of the “ai-Gen.” Those born between 2025 and 2039 will be the first to grow up in a world entirely integrated with artificial intelligence and ubiquitous digital media.
“Compared with previous generations, the ai-Gens will be introduced to digital media at an earlier age,” as broadband, smartphone, and tablet penetration rates have emerged as the highest ever in 2025, with children knowing how to use smartphones and tablets almost from the time they can walk,” said Quinn.
The full Global Consumer Media Usage Forecast 2025–2029 is available via PQ Media.
