Streaming services continue to dominate how Australians consume media, according to new research released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which highlights steady engagement with online platforms alongside modest shifts in traditional viewing and listening habits.

The ACMA said its latest findings show that in 2025, 91 per cent of Australian adults used an online service to watch video content in a given week, unchanged from the previous year. 

Platforms such as YouTube and Netflix continue to lead the market, with overall viewership stabilising after years of growth.

“Streaming remains Australia’s favourite way to watch or listen,” the ACMA stated in its release, noting that digital platforms continue to shape audience behaviour across the country.

Paid subscription services, including Netflix, Stan and Binge, were used by 68 per cent of adults in 2025, maintaining their position as the most popular viewing option. 

Free-to-air catch-up and streaming services attracted 44 per cent of adults, with ABC iview remaining the most widely used platform despite a decline in usage. Meanwhile, 7plus and 9Now recorded audience gains.

The regulator also reported a slight increase in traditional free-to-air television viewing, with 52 per cent of adults watching broadcast TV (excluding catch-up services) in 2025. While this marks a modest recovery after years of decline, the ACMA noted that “viewership remains well below 2017 levels,” reflecting longer-term structural changes in the media landscape.

The ACMA said the findings also point to increasing use of artificial intelligence by both streaming services and broadcasters. According to the regulator, AI is being deployed “to help audiences discover new content, improve the relevance of advertising and streamline production,” signalling ongoing technological transformation across the sector.

The research forms part of two reports published on the ACMA website: How we watch and listen to content and Trends and developments in viewing and listening 2024–25. The authority said the latter provides “overarching insights into broadcasting and digital media,” while the former offers interactive analysis of evolving audience behaviours.

Both reports are included in the ACMA’s Communications and media in Australia series, which compiles time-series data on internet usage, broadcast and streaming consumption, mobile phone use and digital platforms. 

Drawing on industry data and the regulator’s annual consumer survey, the series aims to provide a comprehensive overview of developments across the telecommunications, radiocommunications and broadcasting sectors each financial year.

The ACMA said the latest release underscores the continued shift towards digital consumption, while also pointing to areas of stability in more traditional media formats.