AGF NEXT GEN VIDEO STUDY 2026: OVER 85% OF CHILDREN AND TEENS WATCH VIDEO CONTENT DAILY

22. 9. 2026 | 8 min read Streaming services and social media are playing an increasingly important role in how older children and teenagers watch video content on their own, while watching TV together remains a key opportunity for shared family experiences.

STUDY UK: ONE IN FIVE UK ADULTS USE AI FOR NEWS

15. 9. 2026 | 2 min read One in five UK adults are using artificial intelligence services to access news, according to Ofcom’s latest study of news consumption.

TELEVISION KNOWS HOW TO CAPTURE ATTENTION: THROUGH THE BIG SCREEN, EMOTION AND SHARED EXPERIENCES

15. 9. 2026 | 11 min read Showing an advertisement today is no problem. Getting people to actually pay attention to it is the real challenge. The number of impressions or the reach of a campaign alone does not tell us whether someone genuinely watched the advertising message, engaged with it or remembered it. And according to the TV is engaging project, this is precisely one of television’s key advantages. Its strength lies not only in how many people it can reach, but also in the quality of that contact.

OMDIA: 75% OF U.S. TV VIEWERS USE SMARTPHONE WHILE WATCHING TV

14. 9. 2026 | 2 min read Nearly three in four U.S. TV viewers regularly use their smartphones for other media while watching television, highlighting growing competition for audience attention between TV and mobile video, according to new Omdia consumer research.

HUB: YOUNGER FANS FUELING UPTICK IN SPORTS TV VIEWERSHIP

12. 9. 2026 | 3 min read Viewers under the age of 18 are seven times more likely to watch sports on TV now than they were a year ago, according to new data.

GOLDEN DRUM HAS EXTENDED THE ENTRY DEADLINE. CREATIVES CAN REGISTER UNTIL 8 SEPTEMBER

6. 9. 2026 | 2 min read There are still a few days left to submit the best campaigns to this year’s Golden Drum. The international festival of creativity has extended the deadline for entries to 8 September 2026 at 23:59 CET. The festival is thus giving teams a few extra days to finalise their entries. Portorož is also attracting visitors with a programme packed with prominent figures from the global creative scene.

TELEVISION MAINTAINS ITS LEAD IN TRUST: INTERNATIONAL DATA REVEAL MAJOR GAPS VERSUS ONLINE VIDEO AND SOCIAL MEDIA

5. 9. 2026 | 7 min read According to new material from The Global TV Group, trust is one of television’s key strengths. Data from several markets confirm its strong position not only in terms of trust in the television environment itself, but also when it comes to brands that advertise on TV and television news. The findings also reveal a significant lead for television, particularly over social media and content creators.

GRACENOTE: 85% OF SPORTS FANS WANT HOME-SCREEN VIEWING GUIDANCE

3. 9. 2026 | 2 min read Sports fans want TV home screens to show upcoming events involving their favourite teams and where to watch them, according to new research from Gracenote.

ZLATÝ KLINEC: GRAND PRIX OF SLOVAK ADVERTISING GOES TO NOVEMBER 17 CAMPAIGN

2. 9. 2026 | 10 min read The Slovak Zlatý klinec competition has announced the winners of its 2026 edition. The Grand Prix went to the Ďakujeme 17. novembru campaign by Made by Vaculik. Telekom became the most successful advertiser, while MUW Saatchi & Saatchi retained its Agency of the Evening title.

STUDY USA: LIVE TV STILL IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN CHOOSING A STREAMING BUNDLE

2. 9. 2026 | 2 min read Continued demand for aggregation across traditional and streaming video drives new bundles and channel combinations.

NEW GLOBAL TV GROUP OVERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS THE POWER OF TV ADVERTISING

31. 8. 2026 | 2 min read The Global TV Group has released its new 2026 deck, The Power of TV Advertising 2026, bringing together international research on reach, business outcomes, attention, trust and innovation. Among other findings, the data reveal significant differences in the amount of actual attention advertising receives on television, YouTube and social media.

AGF PLATFORM STUDY 2026 I: HOW VIEWERS FIND VIDEO CONTENT TODAY

20. 8. 2026 | 14 min read For the first time, the expanded platform study connects technical conditions with how viewers behave and navigate when searching for and selecting content on their television sets. Receiving television signals via the internet, smart TV user interfaces and streaming services are continuously changing the technical conditions in which television is watched. The AGF Platform Study has documented this development for many years and provides important information used as a basis for determining the external parameters of the AGF system. In the spring 2026 wave, the study was expanded for the first time to include questions focused on the user journey when using the television set. The technical findings of the platform study are therefore now complemented by a view of actual viewer behaviour. This behavioural analysis makes it possible to systematically track how viewers in today’s technical environment access both linear and non-linear video content. The newly added questions fill an important gap between technical equipment and actual user behaviour. They show not only what technical options viewers have available today, but also which access routes they actually use and what differences exist in these choices between individual generations. In future, the platform study will therefore contribute even more significantly to understanding structural changes in video viewing and their impact on the way television sets are used. Most Households Start Directly with Television Broadcasting The new questions allow AGF to systematically examine for the first time how viewers access video content after switching on the television. The results show that despite increasing technical diversity, television viewing in most households still begins directly with television broadcasting. When respondents are asked to switch on the television, 96.8% of them use a traditional remote control. Smartphone apps (1.0%) and voice control (0.6%) currently play only a marginal role. In more than two thirds of households (68.2%), the currently broadcast television programme appears first after the television is switched on, while in 29.6% of cases the user interface is displayed. Compared with previous waves of the research, this ratio remains stable. If viewers enter the current television broadcast, whether directly after switching on the television or via the user interface, the last watched channel is displayed in most cases (75.1%). In 10.3% of households, a preset default channel appears first, while another 10.3% of viewers initially see an overview of television channels. The channel most frequently displayed first is ARD Das Erste (35.6%), followed by ZDF (14.5%) and RTL (10.7%). When it comes to the arrangement of television channels, the situation is relatively balanced: half of households (50%) have individually adjusted their channel list or created a favourites list, while 45.7% continue to use the default order set by the manufacturer. The results show that although the technical methods of accessing content are constantly evolving, direct access to television broadcasting remains the starting point for video viewing in most households. Smart TV User Interfaces Are Becoming a Key Gateway to Video Content As internet-connected televisions become increasingly widespread, smart TV user interfaces are gaining greater importance in accessing video content. Today, 57.7% of households with a television are equipped with a smart TV user interface. A further 33.3% of households own an internet-connected television but without a smart TV interface. The vast majority of households with a television therefore have additional options for selecting content directly through the user interface. For the first time, the platform study also examined which functions these interfaces offer users immediately after the television is switched on. At least one of the monitored navigation functions is offered by 86.7% of smart TV user interfaces. Most commonly displayed is an overview of installed applications (53.4%), followed by recommended programmes (29.9%) and the option to immediately continue watching programmes that were previously started but not finished (21.3%). A further 13.1% of user interfaces also offer direct access to the current television broadcast. It is therefore clear that smart TV interfaces today represent much more than just a system home menu. They bring together different ways of accessing video content and make it easier to navigate on the large television screen. The diversity of available offerings is also illustrated by the apps visible directly on the home screen. Netflix appears most frequently (47.4%), followed by YouTube (41.9%) and Prime Video (41.8%). Services from television broadcasters are also represented: ARD Mediathek is directly visible on 36.7% and ZDF’s streaming portal on 32.2% of smart TV user interfaces. In total, 52.8% of households with a smart TV interface have at least one video streaming app directly on the home screen. Smart TV user interfaces therefore bring together services from different providers within a single navigation environment and create additional ways to move between linear and non-linear video content. For the first time, the study also examined the extent to which users customise their interfaces. Among people who have an app overview available, 35.1% have already changed the order themselves or individually configured the app overview. For another 26.4%, the apps are arranged automatically according to previous usage patterns. This is reflected in the high level of satisfaction: 87.6% of respondents rate the displayed selection and arrangement of applications as very good or largely suited to their personal needs. The smart TV interface is therefore increasingly becoming an individually customised environment that helps users navigate the content available on their television. Remote Controls Are Becoming a Key Interface for Different Ways of Accessing Content The platform study also examines in detail the role of the remote control in accessing video content. The results show that its function has changed considerably in recent years. Traditional controls remain an integral part of television use, but buttons providing direct access to streaming services are becoming increasingly important. Coloured buttons are still part of most remote controls (84.1%), but their actual use continues to decline. Only 31.1% of respondents actively use the available coloured buttons, while 53% have them on the remote but do not use them. This trend therefore continues compared with the previous wave (2025 II: 39.7% of respondents used the buttons, while 45.8% did not). By contrast, dedicated buttons for accessing individual platforms have become standard equipment in many households. At least one direct-access button for a streaming or online service is available to 54% of respondents, representing a significant increase compared with the previous wave (46.7%). The Netflix button is the most common (52.3%), followed by Prime Video (39.9%), YouTube (28%) and Disney+ (26.1%). If we look only at remote controls equipped with at least one such button, 96.9% of them have a Netflix button (2025 II: 92.5%). The extent to which remote controls are equipped with platform buttons is closely related to the age of the television. Among televisions no more than two years old, 74.6% of respondents have a Netflix button available. Among televisions more than ten years old, the figure is only 13.9%. A similar relationship is therefore confirmed across almost all platforms: the newer the television, the more likely direct-access buttons for streaming services are to be part of the standard equipment. Technical availability alone, however, does not determine user behaviour. At least occasionally, 56.2% of respondents use buttons providing direct access to platforms. While the share of occasional use remains almost unchanged compared with the previous wave, the share of frequent use has declined slightly. The way viewers access broadcaster services is also changing. Broadcaster media libraries are used on television by 32.4% of the population aged 14 and over. Access is gradually shifting away from the traditional red button towards internet-based user interfaces. While 41.4% of media-library users access them through the red button (2025 I: 47.7%), 59.5% access them through internet menus or app tiles (2025 I: 52.2%). The results confirm that internet-based access routes are becoming increasingly established and supplementing existing navigation options. User Journey: Television Broadcasting Remains the First Gateway to Video Content for Most People In the spring 2026 wave, the platform study was expanded for the first time to include questions concerning the user journey. It is now therefore possible to track which routes viewers actually choose after switching on the television and how these patterns differ between generations. The results confirm the consistently high importance of the television set as the main screen for watching video content. Television is used for watching television broadcasts by 92.2% of respondents and for streaming by 50.9%. The television is also used for gaming or listening to music (17.1%) and for watching recordings or DVDs (15.3%). The television therefore combines several different forms of use on a single screen. If we focus on the first step in video viewing, most viewers still turn first to television broadcasting. A total of 79.2% say that after switching on the television, in most cases they first watch the television programme currently being broadcast. For 26.8% of respondents, the first step can also be launching a streaming service. Opening a broadcaster media library or streaming portal (12.3%) or YouTube (8.7%) is currently of significantly less importance as the initial viewing route. There are considerable differences between generations. While 96.9% of people aged over 65 generally begin their video viewing with traditional television broadcasting, the figure is 64.3% among those aged 14 to 29. At the same time, 48.6% of young people aged 14 to 29 at least sometimes begin directly with a streaming service, compared with only 4.2% of people over 65. It is therefore clear that navigation habits on television differ significantly between generations. For the majority of the population, however, television broadcasting remains the first gateway to video content. Searching for Programmes in Linear Television Remains Flexible For the first time, the new questions in the platform study also make it possible to examine in greater detail how viewers select programmes in linear television broadcasting and which alternatives they choose if the current offering does not meet their expectations. If the programme currently being broadcast does not offer suitable content, most viewers primarily look for further options within linear television broadcasting. A total of 55.4% say that in most cases they continue switching channels. Viewers are significantly less likely to switch off the television (19.9%), move directly to a streaming service (15.4%) or go to a broadcaster media library (11.1%). Here too, significant generational differences are evident. While 65.7% of people aged over 65 at least occasionally continue switching channels within linear television, the figure among people aged 14 to 29 is 48.1%. By contrast, 26.1% of younger viewers sometimes switch to a streaming service in such a situation, compared with only 5.7% of viewers over 65. The results therefore show that younger target groups move more frequently between different types of offerings, while older viewers are more likely to search for suitable content within linear television broadcasting. Even when selecting a specific programme, there is no single clearly dominant method. A total of 47.1% of respondents generally select programmes by switching between channels. Another 46.8% primarily use a programme guide – for example, a printed TV guide, electronic programme guide (EPG) or television app. Favourite programmes watched regularly are preferred by 36.6%. Planned selection of linear television content using a programme guide or EPG also varies by age: almost two thirds of older viewers (64.9%) use information sources to select a programme deliberately, compared with 35.4% of younger viewers. The results therefore show that navigation within linear television depends on the specific situation and that viewers combine different sources of information. Recommendations and Targeted Search Both Influence Streaming Content Selection In the current wave of research, the study also systematically examined for the first time how viewers find content on streaming services and what they do if they do not immediately find suitable content. If television viewing begins with a streaming service, Netflix is the first choice for 16% of all respondents. YouTube (5.7%) and Prime Video (4%) follow at a considerable distance. This preference is particularly pronounced among people aged 14 to 29: in this group, 30.9% of viewers start with Netflix, compared with 3.4% among people over 65. If users do not find suitable content on the first platform they open, they usually continue searching within the same service. This is reported as their usual approach by 17.1% of respondents. Less frequently, this is followed by an immediate switch to another streaming service (11.6%) or to linear television broadcasting (7.7%). Both recommendations and targeted search play an important role in selecting specific content. Some 22.7% of respondents navigate according to recommendations on the streaming service’s home page, while 22.4% deliberately search for a specific title. The results therefore suggest that viewers use a variety of routes when searching for suitable content in both linear television broadcasting and streaming services. Which access method they prefer depends on both the type of service and the specific situation. New Insights into Navigation in the Diverse World of Video Content By expanding the platform study, AGF is for the first time connecting the technical conditions of video viewing with viewers’ actual navigation behaviour. The study shows that despite the constantly growing diversity of content and access methods, the television set continues to remain a central starting point for video viewing. At the same time, it is clear that ways of navigating on television are becoming increasingly diverse. Linear television broadcasting, streaming services, broadcaster media libraries and smart TV interfaces now sit alongside one another as equivalent options, offering different routes to the desired content. The platform study therefore expands its previous focus on household technical equipment and methods of video viewing to include a perspective on user behaviour. For the first time, it provides insights into how viewers access video content under current technical conditions and the role played by the individual access routes. “For many years, the platform study has provided important information about the technical conditions of video viewing and therefore represents one of the fundamental building blocks for determining the external parameters of the AGF system. With the current expansion, we are supplementing this perspective for the first time with insights into how viewers navigate when searching for and selecting content on their television sets. This will allow us to assess technological developments and their impact on television use even more effectively and in a broader context in future. At the same time, the results show that the routes to video content are becoming increasingly diverse, while the television set remains their common starting point,” explains Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf, Chairwoman of the Management Board of AGF. Brief Overview of the Methodology For the purposes of the platform study, market research agency Kantar, commissioned by AGF Videoforschung, conducts face-to-face CAPI interviews twice a year with the German-speaking population aged 14 and over living in households with a television. The research also includes an on-site check of the television sets used in the households; selected television programmes and streaming services are also launched together with respondents. Wave 2026 I

HOME SCREENS ARE A PRIME CTV AD TOUCHPOINT

14. 8. 2026 | 3 min read The CTV home screen is becoming premium ad real estate.

STUDY FINDS MORE THAN HALF OF CTV PROGRAMMATIC SERVED ON LARGE SCREENS

5. 8. 2026 | 2 min read Large-screen devices -- smart TV sets -- account for 57% of U.S. open CTV programmatic ad spending, according to a June 2026 report from Pixalate.

AMPERE: UK AND US CONSUMERS BUILD INCREASINGLY DIVERSE MEDIA DIETS

3. 8. 2026 | 2 min read Consumers in the UK and United States now spend almost 11 hours a day engaging with media, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, which says audiences are increasingly choosing different platforms depending on their mood and purpose rather than relying on a single source of entertainment.

SURVEY: CONSUMERS EXPECT INFLATION TO IMPACT HOLIDAY SPENDING PLANS

30. 7. 2026 | 3 min read Economic uncertainty is expected to make shoppers more diligent when holiday shopping this year.

HOROWITZ: FIFA WORLD CUP SETS NEW BENCHMARK FOR MULTICULTURAL, MULTIPLATFORM SPORTS ENGAGEMENT

29. 7. 2026 | 4 min read A new analysis from Horowitz Research highlights the importance of multicultural audiences for the record viewing seen during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which concluded with a historic final and record-setting audience engagement of nearly 63 million Americans watching the event.

COCA-COLA, UNILEVER SHOW THE POWER OF WORLD CUP MARKETING

28. 7. 2026 | 3 min read Coca-Cola and Unilever each delivered some of their strongest quarterly performances in years, with both companies crediting their extensive World Cup campaigns.