Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast

Episode: The Digital Lives and Lifestyles of Everyone in the World: How People Watch TV, Short-Form Video’s Global Divide, and More

Date: October 31, 2025
Guests:

• Marcus (Host)
• Paul Briggs – Principal Analyst, EMARKETER
• Jennifer Pearson – VP of Research, EMARKETER
• Jason Mander – Chief Insight Officer, GWI

Overview

This episode offers a data-driven exploration of how global media behaviors are evolving, drawing on this year’s Global Media Intelligence (GMI) Report—a huge survey of nearly a million respondents across 50 countries. The panel examines the shifting patterns in how people engage with broadcast and streaming TV, short-form and social video, audio, and smart technology, with a special emphasis on regional, generational, and cultural divides. The team also discusses public sentiment toward artificial intelligence and shares hidden-gem insights into device adoption around the world.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. About the Global Media Intelligence Report

• Scope: Surveys conducted with just under a million people across 50 countries.
• Objective: To capture granular and global trends in device/app usage, social media habits, and media consumption across age, gender, and country.
• Quote:
  • “My job is to turn all of that data, all of those numbers into interesting stories and things that matter.”
    — Jason Mander, 01:20

2. TV: Streaming Overtakes Broadcast, But with Local Nuance

• Global shift: Streaming now exceeds 90% penetration in most regions, surpassing broadcast TV.
  • “Across all the regions, if you look at penetration of streaming video usage, it exceeds broadcast TV in every single region.”
    — Paul Briggs, 04:27
• Ad dollars lag: In the US, CTV (Connected TV) viewership outpaces linear TV, but most ad spend (⅔) still goes to linear.
• Variation by country: Some countries, like France, consume nearly 9 hours/week of broadcast TV (compared to 2 hours in others).
  • “Broadcast TV…there are still 34 out of 50 countries that are spending more than five hours per week, but then go to France and that climbs to nearly nine hours.”
    — Jason Mander, 10:42
• Media buyers’ advice: Combine investment in ad-supported streaming with continued presence on linear TV, due to persistent regional differences in habits.

3. Audio: The Digital Rise, but Old Media Holds On

• Digital’s ascent: Music streaming dominates with younger audiences (16-24s spend 7 hours/week on streaming vs. 1.25 hours on radio).
• Radio’s stronghold: In Western Europe, radio still commands over five hours weekly, compared to as little as 1.5 hours in Asia.
  • “More than five hours weekly spent with radio in Western Europe…But if you look at the Asian regions, that’s the lowest time spent with radio anywhere.”
    — Paul Briggs, 07:25
  • “If you look at the 16 to 24 cohort, they’re spending an hour and a quarter on average on radio per week versus seven hours on music streaming.”
    — Jason Mander, 08:27
• Local radio’s advertising power: Still highly effective for hyperlocal advertising, especially for commuters.

4. Short-Form Video’s Global Divide (and Social’s Growth)

• Social and video are king: Globally, people spend almost 20 hours/week on all social media and social video combined—equal to the total time spent on broadcast TV, TV streaming, gaming, and podcasts put together.
  • “The global average across those three is nearly 20 hours per week…it’s about the same amount of time for social as for broadcast tv, TV streaming, gaming and podcasts put together.”
    — Jason Mander, 12:50
• National differences: Countries like Brazil lead in all forms of video, while places like Germany and Scandinavia lag—often reflecting traditional “social enthusiasm.”
  • “Brazil is a good example. It’s one of the leading countries in all three of those metrics.”
    — Jason Mander, 13:24
• Changing motivation: Social media use is now entertainment-first, less about personal sharing or keeping in touch.
  • “Over time you can see decreases in things like communicating with friends, posting about my life, but increases in basically consuming content…It’s an entertainment first ecosystem now.”
    — Jason Mander, 14:10

5. Global Optimism (or Pessimism) about Artificial Intelligence

• Greatest enthusiasm in younger, social-first countries: Brazil (66%), Vietnam, Israel, Colombia are most excited about AI technology.
  • “Brazil was the leader…66% of those surveyed were excited about AI.”
    — Jennifer Pearson, 14:53
• Skepticism concentrated in developed, older markets: Croatia, New Zealand, and the US (35%) are less excited—possibly due to concerns about regulation and risk.
  • “Over 50% [in Europe] didn’t have confidence that the government would regulate properly…and those are some of the lower excited consumers respondents about AI.”
    — Jennifer Pearson, 16:54
• Gender and income divides: Men and higher-income groups show more AI enthusiasm; in most regions, gender gap is 10–14 points.
  • “In every single region except East Asia and Oceania, men have a significant lead over women, as much as 10, 12, 14 points.”
    — Jason Mander, 16:10

6. Hidden Gems: Surprising Stats from the Report

(Starts at 17:59)

• Croatia leads in smartwatch adoption: The newest country in the survey “leads the world in smartwatch adoption,” outpacing even tech-loving Asian markets.
  • “That 50th country is Croatia. And lo and behold, they lead the world in smartwatch adoption.”
    — Paul Briggs, 17:59
• Japan’s low smart TV uptake remains anomalous: Despite advanced tech infrastructure, less than 12% own a smart TV (vs. 63% in the US), only a small increase from 8% in 2018.
  • “Japan smart TV ownership is really the lowest, one of the lowest in the world…just under 12%…for context, it’s 63% in the U.S.”
    — Jennifer Pearson, 19:14
  • “Japan is often a bit of an exception when it comes to technology adoption…another is definitions of technology and what we mean by a smart television.”
    — Jason Mander, 20:18
• Smart home products: slower global adoption than expected: Only 20% of people worldwide own a smart home device (up from 11% in 2019), with the UK leading at 28%.
  • “It’s only 20% globally who own a smart home product…UK is the leading country in the world…28%.”
    — Jason Mander, 21:12

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the illusion of global sameness:

  • “It’s very easy to think that just because you have a smartphone, because you’re streaming things…that everybody else is. And it can be further from the truth.”
    — Marcus, 03:55

• On local nuances:

  • “You can’t really take a global snapshot. You need to understand what’s happening in your country or in your region.”
    — Jason Mander, 10:42

• On surprising device adoption:

  • “Sometimes you think everyone must have something because you do…But actually it’s only 20% globally who own a smart home product.”
    — Jason Mander, 21:12

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:22] – Methodology and aims of the Global Media Intelligence Report
• [04:22] – Major TV consumption shifts: streaming vs. broadcast
• [07:20] – Audio consumption divides and generational differences
• [11:45] – The global surge (and regional divides) in short-form and social video
• [14:45] – Country-by-country excitement (or skepticism) over artificial intelligence
• [17:59] – Hidden gems: surprising stats on smartwatches, smart TVs, and smart home devices

Summary Table: Standout Data Points

| Topic | Key Insight | Notable Country/Group | |----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------| | TV Streaming | Streaming surpasses 90% penetration, overtaking broadcast | All regions; France: 9hrs/wk| | Radio Listening | High in Western Europe (>5 hrs/week), low in Asia (~1.5hrs/week) | Greece (high), Vietnam (low)| | Social & Short Video | 20 hrs/wk on social/video media globally | Brazil (very high), Nordics (lower short video) | | AI Enthusiasm | Highest in young, social countries; lowest in older, developed | Brazil (66% excited), US (35%) | | Smartwatch Adoption | Croatia leads new smartwatch adoption | Croatia | | Smart TV Ownership | Japan lags far behind at <12% | Japan (12%), US (63%) | | Smart Home Devices | Only 20% global adoption; UK highest at 28% | UK |

Conclusion

The podcast delivers an incisive look at the ways digital media, technology adoption, and user motivations are evolving across geographies and generations. Key recommendations include respecting local nuances over assuming global sameness, and tracking both attitude and device adoption to anticipate shifts in engagement. Marketers, retailers, and advertisers are urged to review the full GMI report for deeper, actionable insights.

Final thought:
“We barely scratched the surface. There’s a ton more there, so go check it out.”
— Marcus, [22:59]