Key findings: Usage
The use of media plays an important role in the everyday life of the Swiss population. How has usage developed – and what differences can be seen, for example, between different age groups?
Conclusion
- All four media formats examined continue to reach large audiences, engaging significant portions of the Swiss population daily – though to varying degrees and with slightly different trends in recent years
- Overall media consumption in Switzerland has declined in recent years across radio, television, journalistic online media and print
- If these consumption trends continue, advertising revenues will likely decline further
- In the long term, declining consumption of publicly funded media (radio and TV) risks undermining support for their public funding – potentially making their already strained financial situation even worse
- Across all four media formats, there is a clear age-consumption correlation: Younger audiences consume less of each media format
- Consequently, these media are becoming less relevant and less influential in shaping opinion among younger generations
- Social media, which have gained importance for opinion formation among younger audiences (according to Medienmonitor Schweiz), do contain journalistic content – but alongside false, misleading, discriminatory or racist material, and even calls to violence. For this reason, the Federal Council has tasked DETEC with drafting a consultation proposal for regulating communication platforms.
Radio: Reach
Radio reach declined across all age groups between 2015 and 2024, with significant generational differences. In 2024, radio reached 87% of people aged over 60 but only 48% of those aged 15 to 24.
Radio: Market shares
Market shares among radio broadcaster groups have remained stable. Since 2019, SRG has consistently accounted for around 60% of total radio listening. Licensed private broadcasters' market shares have declined, partly because several high-reach stations returned their licences and exited this category. These now fall under formerly licensed or notifiable broadcasters, whose combined market shares have consequently risen.
SRG Radio: Reach
SRG radio stations follow the overall market trend and have lost some reach. Among licensed private radio broadcasters, the picture is mixed, with some positive developments in German- and Italian-speaking Switzerland.
Television: Reach
Television also lost considerable reach across all age groups since 2015, although 2023 – and to some extent 2024 – saw slight increases in several demographics.
Television: Market shares
Television market share comparisons across language regions and age groups reveal significant patterns:
- Foreign channels achieve high market shares, especially among viewers under 60, dominating even more strongly in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland than in German-speaking regions.
- Only in German-speaking Switzerland do notifiable Swiss broadcasters achieve significant television consumption shares. In the other language regions, they remain largely irrelevant.
- Licensed regional television broadcasters play only a minor role in overall television consumption.
SRG Television: Reach
In 2024, SRG's second channels (SRF zwei, RTS 2, RSI LA 2) saw slight consumption increases, as did SRF info. These gains likely reflect the many sports events broadcast on these secondary channels or slots (e.g. UEFA Euro 2024, the Paris Olympics). In this respect, 2024 was a ‘sports year’, making future consumption trends worth monitoring.
Online media: Reach
Journalistic online media consumption has declined steadily since 2022, again across all age groups. The drop is most pronounced among 15 to 29-year-olds.
Press: Reach
Print media consumption has also fallen in recent years. While print still reaches more readers among the over 60s than any other group, even this group is showing declining consumption.