Australian consumers are reviewing their media subscriptions and changing how they engage with digital content, as concerns about costs, advertising and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to influence media consumption, according to the Media & Entertainment Consumer Insights 2026 report.

Based on a nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 Australians aged 16 to 91, conducted in July and August 2026, the report examines consumer habits across video, audio, social media, advertising and emerging technologies.

Media consumption patterns continue to evolve

The report found that Australians spent an average of 45 hours and 20 minutes each week consuming media and entertainment, unchanged from 2025.

Video accounted for the largest share at 16 hours and 55 minutes per week, followed by audio at 13 hours and 30 minutes and social media at five hours and 50 minutes.

Despite relatively stable consumption levels, household spending on subscriptions declined. Average monthly subscription expenditure fell 6 per cent, from $78 in 2025 to $73 in 2026.

However, the average number of subscriptions increased slightly from 3.7 to 3.8. The report found that 75 per cent of respondents were concerned about the cumulative cost of subscriptions, while 76 per cent said they periodically reviewed their subscriptions.

Online video and user-generated content (UGC) also remained prominent, particularly among younger audiences. YouTube was watched by 89 per cent of respondents and 97 per cent of Generation Z participants.

Among Gen Z respondents, 73 per cent said they spent more time watching UGC than they had planned, while 65 per cent reported spending more time viewing this content than six months earlier.

Creators and advertising influence purchasing decisions

The report identified social media creators as an increasingly relevant influence on consumer purchasing decisions. Overall, 38 per cent of respondents said they had purchased a product or service based on a creator’s recommendation in the previous 12 months.

The figure was higher among younger consumers, reaching 61 per cent for Gen Z and 58 per cent for Millennials.

Food and beverages were the most commonly purchased category following creator recommendations, at 42 per cent, followed by beauty and personal care and fashion and apparel, both at 39 per cent.

However, consumer trust remained a consideration. The report found that 44 per cent of respondents had stopped following a creator after finding their recommendations inauthentic or overly commercial. This increased to 63 per cent among Gen Z.

Advertising influence also varied across age groups. While free-to-air television advertising influenced purchasing decisions for 46 per cent of respondents overall, social media advertising had a stronger reported influence among Gen Z and Millennials, at 65 per cent and 63 per cent respectively.

Out-of-home advertising was noticed by 77 per cent of respondents, although 38 per cent said it influenced their purchasing decisions.

Trust and transparency remain key considerations for AI

The growing presence of AI-generated content has raised concerns about authenticity and transparency. The report found that 75 per cent of respondents believed AI-generated content made it harder to determine what was real online.

Trust levels also differed between information sources. While 79 per cent reported at least moderate trust in national Australian news publishers, 38 per cent expressed the same level of trust in news generated on AI platforms.

The report also found strong support for clearer disclosure, with 84 per cent of respondents backing mandatory labelling of AI-generated content. Meanwhile, 71 per cent said they would stop using platforms that failed to disclose such content.

The findings suggest that while digital platforms, creators and AI technologies remain part of Australia’s changing media environment, transparency, affordability and consumer trust continue to shape how audiences engage with content.

The report’s findings are based on respondents’ reported perceptions and behaviours, which may differ from industry-reported data.