Australians are spending less time on media and entertainment, with younger generations leading the retreat, according to Deloitte’s Media & Entertainment Consumer Insights 2024. 

The nationwide survey of 2,000 consumers found overall media consumption fell 10 per cent compared with 2023, with Gen Z cutting back by as much as 25 per cent.

Despite this dip, media remains a daily companion. The average Australian still devotes more than six hours a day to entertainment, with 74 per cent engaging with content as soon as they wake up. 

According to the analysis, video remains dominant, but time spent on streaming services dropped sharply to 8 hours and 20 minutes per week, down from over 10 hours last year. Free-to-air television also fell, while podcasts and audiobooks gained ground, particularly among older Australians.

Subscriptions continue to climb, even as consumers trim viewing hours. The average household now holds 3.3 digital subscriptions, up from 3.2 in 2023, with spending rising to $63 per month. 

Gen Z leads the way, paying nearly twice as much as Boomers at $88 per household. Cost pressures are fuelling churn, with 49 per cent of subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) users altering their holdings in 2024. 

Yet two-thirds still expect to maintain the same number of subscriptions in 2025, suggesting households are swapping rather than abandoning services, the report found. 

Deloitte’s study noted that advertising remains a divisive topic. More than half of Australians (56 per cent) say they are willing to pay extra for ad-free streaming, compared with just a third for news and magazines. 

Meanwhile, advertising influence is shifting: 49 per cent of consumers say free-to-air TV ads affect their buying decisions, but social media is now the most effective platform among younger audiences, with 70 per cent of Gen Z reporting they are influenced by social media ads.

Trust also looms large. Established publishers remain the most reliable source of news for 73 per cent of consumers, while only 28 per cent trust AI-generated content. Concerns about digital wellbeing are pronounced, with nine in ten Australians supporting tighter restrictions on children’s social media use.

Deloitte concludes that while Australians are becoming more deliberate in their media choices, demand for diverse, on-demand, and ad-free content remains strong – placing pressure on providers to balance quality, cost, and trust in a crowded market.