A significant shift in Australian media consumption habits is underway according to Deloitte's 13th annual Media and Entertainment Consumer Insights report.

Deloitte's report suggests that Australians now spend as much time watching subscription video on demand (SVOD) as they do free-to-air television, indicating a potential end to the traditional concept of “prime time”.

The average Australian now spends eight hours and twenty minutes a week watching both SVOD and free-to-air television. The total weekly time spent consuming entertainment has dropped by 10% over the past 12 months to 44 hours a week. For Gen Zs, consumption fell a remarkable 25%, with social media usage taking a particular dive.

Peter Corbett, Deloitte Lead Partner for Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment, said, “Australians spend an average 44 hours a week, or around six hours a day consuming digital entertainment. This survey gives us a great insight into what they consume and why.”

Despite the cost of living pressures, Australians are not cutting their home entertainment budget, even though 75% are worried about the cumulative cost of multiple subscriptions. The average number of digital subscriptions per household remained broadly consistent at 3.3, while average monthly spend grew 10% to $63. More than a third of consumers are exceeding their monthly entertainment budget.

Corbett added, “It is no secret that Australians are tightening their belts at the moment, but most are avoiding taking the razor to their subscriptions, preferring to save money by switching between services to take advantage of promotions or substituting a night out for a night in.”

The report also found that social media consumption is down among young Australians, with strong support for further government regulation of platforms. A surprising 90% of consumers are advocating for new social media restrictions for those aged 16, including 91% of Gen Zs. 56% of respondents favour an outright ban for people under 16 accessing social media.

Corbett noted, “The proposal for an outright ban for people under 16 accessing social media is less popular, but still found favour among 56% of respondents and, surprisingly, among around one-third of Gen Zs, who are more likely to be familiar with the adverse effects social media can have on wellbeing.”

Despite the rise of digital platforms, Australians still retain considerable trust in legacy media platforms, with a strong preference for Australian-owned outlets. TV news programs are still the single most popular source of news, being the primary choice of 34% of respondents.

Corbett concluded, “Despite reports to the contrary, Australians still retain considerable trust in legacy media platforms, with a strong preference for Australian-owned outlets. That being said, traditional news and entertainment outlets need to stay attuned to the changing preferences of media consumers if they want to continue being seen as relevant and retain trust.”