Germany’s audio and audiovisual media market is set to surpass the €16 billion revenue mark for the first time in 2025, according to the latest annual autumn forecast by industry association VAUNET.
The organisation projects total revenues of €16.2 billion, up 3.3% from €15.6 billion in 2024. The rise is largely fuelled by streaming and paid content, while traditional TV advertising continues to weaken. VAUNET warns that the sector’s overall growth is being held back by difficult economic conditions and increasingly unfair competition from global tech platforms.
“Demand for audio and audiovisual media content continues to grow,” said Frank Giersberg, Managing Director of VAUNET. “But the economic climate is leaving its mark on parts of the market. Growth is essentially limited to paid streaming services and streaming advertising, and in precisely these segments, we are seeing a worrying and growing market power of global Big Tech companies.”
Total advertising revenues from audio and audiovisual media are expected to rise marginally by 0.2% to €6.1 billion in 2025. However, the underlying picture differs sharply between segments.
In audio advertising, revenues are forecast to climb 2.5% to €848 million. Radio advertising will grow slightly by 1% to €714 million, while streaming audio advertising will jump by 11% to €133 million.
The video advertising market will remain almost flat at €5.2 billion (–0.1%), but this masks diverging trends: traditional TV advertising is set to drop 7% to €3.3 billion, while video streaming advertising will grow strongly again, up 15% to €1.9 billion.
Revenue from paid content – including pay-TV, paid video-on-demand and paid audio – will increase by 6.7% to €8 billion, breaking the €8 billion threshold for the first time.
The pay-TV segment will remain stable at €2.1 billion, while paid video-on-demand services such as Netflix, Disney+ and local platforms will rise 9% to €3.7 billion. Paid audio subscriptions, including music streaming, will grow by 10% to €2.2 billion.
The teleshopping market is forecast to remain stable at €2.1 billion.
VAUNET’s Chairman Claus Grewenig urged policymakers to act swiftly to ensure fairer competition conditions: “The market development underlines the urgent need to create a level playing field with Big Tech platforms so that transformation does not bypass the media sector. A robust framework for refinancing, updated platform regulation and the broad enablement of cooperation are essential. All stakeholders in politics and along the value chain must do their part to strengthen responsible media offerings.”
Despite solid growth in digital segments, VAUNET’s forecast highlights ongoing challenges for Germany’s commercial media market players. Economic uncertainty, shrinking TV advertising budgets and dominant global streaming platforms continue to reshape the market.
The full report, “Umsätze Audio- und audiovisueller Medien in Deutschland 2024–2025,” including detailed figures, is available for download here.
