Average daily time spent with media shot past the 10-hour mark last year, pushing media consumption to new levels in Canada.

The average time spent with social media and messaging was 3:22 per day. As in past years, these figures were among the highest GWI recorded globally. Moreover, most internet users were active on a large number of platforms. Over 55% of those polled used at least seven; of that group, nearly 17% said they used 11 or more social and messaging services.

More time spent at home during the pandemic means more time being spent on social media. But not all social platforms are benefitting in the same way. In our latest forecast on time spent with media in the US, we expect adult social network users to log an average of 1 hour, 22 minutes (1:22) per day in 2020, up nearly 7 minutes over last year.

The average times spent daily with broadcast radio and live TV remained constant between H1 2020 and H1 2021, at 1:36 and 1:55, respectively. During the same period, time spent daily with print press rose by 4 minutes to reach 33 minutes. However, it was clearly overtaken by online press, which occupied an average of 43 minutes each day.

Time spent with social media was also up marginally, to 3:34 per day on average. About 16% of internet users polled in South Africa had used a voice assistant or smart speaker in the week prior to find information. Almost as many had used a voice command to carry out an action, such as accessing music online. Usage was greatest among 16- to 24-year-olds, affluents, and respondents living in cities.

Social networking helped to boost the total time spent with digital media. Social media and messaging activity reached new heights in Mexico this year; 99.4% of internet users polled in H1 2021 had used social media in the month prior and almost as many had used messaging services such as WhatsApp. Also this year, time spent with social networking achieved a new high of 3:28 daily, on average.

Penetration was also above average among the oldest, ages 55 to 64. The average time spent daily with mobile devices was 3:00 in 2021—a decline of 10 minutes since 2020. Total time spent with PCs and tablets also dropped, from 2:20 to 2:10 daily.

However, time spent with online publications remained unchanged at 54 minutes, more than doubling print’s time spent. Broadcast radio also occupied a bit more of internet users’ time this year. Nearly 78% of males and 69.9% of females had listened to live radio during the previous month in Q1 2021, spending an average of 1:19 daily.

The pandemic accelerated the increase in time spent with mobile activities in the US. Most of these gains will stick as people return to a more normal life in 2021.

Time spent with broadcast TV was an average 1:51 per day—a 6 minute decline YoY. That said, the share of internet users who watch digital video (95.5%) had already overtaken the share who watch live TV. And time spent streaming video (2:00 per day) continued to exceed broadcast TV time by several minutes.

Time spent daily with social media and messaging averaged 1:50—about half an hour less than time devoted to broadcast TV. More than 8 in 10 respondents in Italy had listened to live radio programs.

Time spent with digital audio and video both posted annual increases. For example, in H1 2021, internet users polled in Argentina spent an average of 1:14 daily with online TV and 1:45 with music streaming. Time spent each day with broadcast TV also rose, from 2:28 to 2:34. As in past years, social media claimed a far larger slice of time than any other specific media activity, at 3:24 per day.

That said, the bulk of time spent with press titles has shifted online. Digital publications occupied 1 hour, 34 minutes (1:34) per day on average in H1 2021, compared with 1:00 for print press formats. Broadcast TV, meanwhile, was still viewed more widely than most digital alternatives. In Q1 2021, 92.0% of internet users had watched live TV in the month prior to polling.

The average daily time spent with digital video content (1 hour, 33 minutes, or 1:33) was also marginally greater than time spent with broadcast TV (1:29). That said, a growing number of internet users watched TV shows via time-shifted options.

Digital video consumption was above average among all younger adults and those in middle- and higher-income homes. But even in the oldest age bracket, over 85% of internet users had recently streamed video. Nonetheless, time spent with broadcast TV in H1 was more than half an hour greater than time spent with online TV and video, at 1 hour, 56 minutes (1:56) per day versus 1:22, respectively.

Time spent daily on mobile devices climbed to an average 5:27 in H1 2021, compared with 4:53 for PCs and tablets. Both of these values were among the highest recorded globally by GWI, as in 2020.