The results of our new “Media Consumption 2025” research show how Ukrainians’ habits in the digital space are evolving. The main conclusion: the smartphone has definitively become the primary screen in people’s lives, while media increasingly serve as the background to daily routines.

Online rhythm: more than three hours of media per day

Ukrainians are spending more and more time online. 44% say they spend over three hours a day in messengers, 36% dedicate the same amount of time to video platforms, and 30% to social media, while television remains important for only 17% of the audience. Almost everyone (91%) consumes content via smartphone, a trend consistent across all age groups. The mobile device has become a universal media center — a channel for news, entertainment, and communication all at once.

What Ukrainians choose: humor, sports, and podcasts

In 2025, Ukrainians increasingly prefer lighter and more dynamic content. Comedy shows and stand-ups have grown in popularity — their audience increased from 49% to 54%. Interest in sports programs rose from 31% to 35%, while podcasts are now listened to by 29% of respondents, six points higher than last year.

Telegram and video platforms as main channels of influence

Messengers remain the leading channel for news consumption: 75% of Ukrainians receive information through Telegram, Viber, and other services. Their popularity has stabilized at a consistently high level, reflecting an established habit of getting updates in short, personalized formats.

Social networks are strengthening their role in news consumption — 60% of respondents use Facebook, Instagram, or other platforms for news (compared to 56% last year). At the same time, video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo have increased their share from 51% to 54%. Video content continues to become the primary source of information, especially among younger audiences.
News websites remain stable at 42%, while linear television has lost another three points in a year, now at 27%. This confirms a long-term trend of trust and attention shifting toward digital channels.

Entertainment as a universal language of communication

When it comes to leisure and entertainment, the dominance of video platforms is even more evident: 61% of Ukrainians name YouTube as their main destination for recreation, followed by social networks (58%) and messengers (53%). The dynamics of the past two years show that messengers effectively function as personal media hubs — spaces where news, humor, music, analysis, and private communication converge.

Interest in streaming services for music and video continues to grow: 41% use Spotify or YouTube Music, seven points higher than last year. Online cinemas are also gradually expanding their audience, from 31% to 34%, indicating that Ukrainian users are maturing toward paid, high-quality content.

Telegram strengthens its leadership, WhatsApp gains ground

Telegram remains the undisputed leader among messengers — 92% of users access it weekly, and the figure continues to grow. Viber holds second place, while Facebook Messenger has regained its share after last year’s decline. The fastest growth is seen with WhatsApp, which rose from 30% to 41% in a year.

Instagram continues to grow, TikTok shows the second-highest increase

Among social networks, the leading positions remain stable: Facebook is the primary platform for 72% of users, while Instagram keeps expanding its audience — 67%, up six points year-on-year. The most notable growth belongs to TikTok, which increased from 49% to 54%. The platform is now used not only for entertainment but also for news consumption, especially among younger audiences.
Pinterest is also on the rise, reflecting a growing demand for niche visual content. LinkedIn has reached 7%, showing Ukrainians’ growing interest in professional communities and career development in the digital sphere.

“Media consumption has become a reflection of our way of life. We want to stay informed, yet at the same time seek relief from the information noise. It is a balance between control and fatigue: people strive to stay close to events while keeping a certain distance from them, forming a new culture of attention,” says Evgeniya Blyznyuk, Founder & CEO of Gradus.

The survey was conducted by Gradus using a self-administered questionnaire in the Gradus mobile application. The sample represents the population structure of Ukrainian cities with over 50,000 residents aged 18–60 by gender, age, city size, and region, excluding temporarily occupied territories and areas of active hostilities. Fieldwork period: September 15–17, 2025. Sample size: 1,100 respondents.

The research report is available on a commercial basis upon request at dn@gradus.app

Purchasers of the Media Consumption 2024 report are eligible for a 20% discount on the new wave.

Report structure:

• ● Consumption of media content categories: feature films and TV series, news or socio-political programs, etc. (by gender and age)
• ● Channels for consuming news media content: messengers, social networks, etc. (by gender and age)
• ● Channels for consuming entertainment media content: messengers, social networks, etc. (by gender and age)
• ● Technical devices used to view content (by age; dynamics from March 2023 to September 2025)
• ● Availability of a TV and its purpose (by gender and age)
• ● Use of messengers (by gender, age, region, and size of settlement; in dynamics (March 2023 - September 2025)
• ● Use of social networks (by gender, age, region, and settlement size; dynamics March 2023 - September 2025)
• ● Use of video platforms (by age and region)
• ● Viewing of the national telethon “Yedyni Novyny” (without breakdowns, total)
• ● Frequency of viewing of the national telethon “Yedyni Novyny” (by gender and age)
• ● Viewing of TV channels (by gender and age and by size of settlement)
• ● Listening to radio stations (by gender, age, region, and settlement size)
• ● Use of streaming services for music and video (by gender, age, and region)
• ● Consumption of OTT/IPTV services (by gender and age)
• ● Paid subscriptions to OTT/IPTV services and YouTube (by gender and age)
• ● Frequency of using media content as background noise while doing other things (by age)
• ● Average time spent consuming social media content per day (by gender and age)
• ● Average time spent consuming content from messengers per day (by gender and age)
• ● Average time spent consuming content from video platforms per day (by age)
• ● Average time spent consuming content from online movie theater services per day (by gender and age)
• ● Average time spent consuming content from websites per day (by gender and age)
• ● Average time spent consuming content from Ukrainian TV channels per day (by age)
• ● Average time spent consuming podcast content per day (by age)
• ● Average time spent consuming radio content per day (by gender and age)
• ● Audio content consumption (by gender and age)
• ● Use of services to block online advertising (by gender and age)
• ● Sample structure

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