Time spent with digital vs. traditional media in the U.S. 2011-2023
The average daily time spent with digital media in the United States is expected to increase from 470 minutes (seven hours and 50 minutes) in 2020 to over eight hours in 2023. Higher online media consumption in 2020 was partially attributed to the coronavirus outbreak, and more daily time with traditional media such as television, radio, newspapers, and magazines was also recorded for that year. Media consumption in 2020 was overall higher due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing changes to daily life.
The same survey, held in July that year, also asked participants about their plans to continue with their increased media consumption after the pandemic has run its course. This garnered different responses, with only a handful of U.S. adults planning to carry on investing more time in most media activities. Again though, watching movies and shows on streaming platforms and reading or listening to books were the most popular options.
Impact of COVID-19 on media consumption
In-home media consumption grew sharply in March 2020 in the first stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 40 percent of U.S. respondents reported spending more time watching shows and films on streaming services, and 25 percent were reading books or listening to audiobooks more than usual. Despite predictions that this spike in media usage would fall after the initial implementation of shelter-in-place orders, consumers also continued spending more time with media in the summer of 2020.The same survey, held in July that year, also asked participants about their plans to continue with their increased media consumption after the pandemic has run its course. This garnered different responses, with only a handful of U.S. adults planning to carry on investing more time in most media activities. Again though, watching movies and shows on streaming platforms and reading or listening to books were the most popular options.
