OLDER CONSUMERS TRUST TRADITIONAL ADS BUT ARE INFLUENCED TO BUY THROUGH DIGITAL CHANNELS

20. 9. 2026 | 2 min read Traditional offline advertising commands the most trust among US adults 55 and older, but digital channels are gaining influence over what they buy, per CivicScience.

ESPN REPORTS RECORD U.S. OPEN MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP VIEWING

16. 9. 2026 | 3 min read Men’s championship averaged 3.2 million viewers while women’s championship averaged 2.7 million.

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.

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.

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.

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.

PRIMA INCREASED ITS NET PROFIT TO MORE THAN HALF A BILLION LAST YEAR, BUT REVENUE REMAINED LARGELY UNCHANGED

25. 8. 2026 | 3 min read In 2025, the Prima Group maintained stable operating performance despite a decline in television advertising revenue. The growth in net profit was driven primarily by a significant improvement in financial performance and growing digital activities, led by prima+.

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

WORLD CUP FINAL DRAWS 66.4 MILLION VIEWERS AS SPORTS MARKETING MOVES BEYOND TV

24. 7. 2026 | 1 min read The FIFA World Cup final saw record viewership of 66.4 million average viewers across all networks and platforms showing the event, per Nielsen data cited by Yahoo Sports. The 2026 World Cup final is now the highest rated TV event since Super Bowl LX.

SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS PREFER LINEAR TV, WHILE ADVERTISING DURING GAMES DRIVES ONLINE SEARCHES

23. 7. 2026 | 5 min read Linear television remains the preferred way for sports enthusiasts to watch a range of popular sports. Local television stations also continue to play an important role: nine out of ten sports enthusiasts believe it is important for them to broadcast matches involving local teams. In addition, advertising shown during sports broadcasts can influence consumers’ choices when they subsequently search online for products or services. These findings come from TVB’s 2026 Sports Survey.

OPERATORS ARE MOVING PAY-TV TO THE INTERNET

19. 7. 2026 | 3 min read According to a new analysis, 55 per cent of European households will have a direct pay-TV subscription by the end of the year, which is just 1.6 percentage points more than five years ago. However, behind this stable figure lie significant national differences as well as a growing shift towards OTT streaming.

CZECHS SPEND OVER FOUR HOURS IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION, OF WHICH 37 MINUTES ARE SPENT STREAMING OR PLAYING GAMES

16. 7. 2026 | 3 min read Television broadcasts still account for the bulk of the time spent in front of the TV screen. However, people are increasingly using their televisions to watch streaming services, online videos or play games, according to data provided by Atmedia.

SPORTS KEEPS VIEWERS CONNECTED TO TRADITIONAL TELEVISION

6. 7. 2026 | 2 min read Inscape's Q1 2026 data shows sports viewing grew to 1.8 hours weekly, but traditional TV's dominance is slipping as streaming claimed 12% of sports time—up from 11.5% a year prior.

ATTENTION DETERMINES ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS: STUDY CONFIRMS THE POWER OF THE TELEVISION ENVIRONMENT

26. 6. 2026 | 11 min read The Attention: Effectiveness Driver study highlights a simple but often overlooked fact: advertising can influence purchasing behaviour only if people actually notice it. Attention is not a proxy metric but a fundamental prerequisite for memorability, increased brand awareness, a shift in perception, and business outcomes. The available data indicate that television advertising can attract significantly more seconds of attention than most digital formats, and that the large screen remains an exceptionally powerful environment for brand building.

MOVING IMAGE STUDY 2026: TELEVISION REMAINS THE BACKBONE OF AUDIOVISUAL CONTENT CONSUMPTION

23. 6. 2026 | 6 min read The representative study commissioned by RTR Medien and Arbeitsgemeinschaft TELETEST is examining video consumption in Austria for the eleventh time. Its findings show that consumer behaviour continues to be shaped by television broadcasters’ content.

CME CEO: TV BROADCASTERS IN CENTRAL EUROPE MUST GO DIGITAL, OR THEY WILL BE OVERRUN BY NETFLIX

10. 6. 2026 | 3 min read According to CME CEO Samuel Barnett, traditional media companies in Central and Eastern Europe have a unique opportunity to harness the power of local content and the distinct characteristics of individual markets. However, if they fail to rapidly develop their digital services, they risk becoming irrelevant in the face of global platforms.

STUDY: LATE WORLD CUP KICK-OFFS TO CHANGE UK VIEWING HABITS, SAYS EE

4. 6. 2026 | 2 min read Late-night World Cup kick-offs are expected to change how UK football fans watch this summer’s tournament, according to new research from EE.

CZECH CONTENT ACCOUNTS FOR A THIRD OF THE TELEVISION PROGRAMME LINE-UP, BUT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MAJORITY OF VIEWING FIGURES

26. 5. 2026 | 3 min read In 2025, Czech and Czechoslovak content accounted for a significantly higher share of television viewing figures than its representation in the programming schedule would suggest. According to data from the Association of Television Organisations, as highlighted by Atmedia, local programmes accounted for 31 per cent of the broadcasts on the stations surveyed, but accounted for 57 per cent of the time spent watching television.