#MediaMonday – 2025 State of the Media
Happy #MediaMonday! It’s that time of the week, and the year again. The Arizona Media Association and Arizona Local News Foundation has released its annual Arizona Media Landscape study, giving us a look into Arizonans’ everyday media consumption habits and perceptions of local media.
This year’s study included 1,206 interviews with Arizona adults (18+), all of which consume news, sports, or entertainment weekly through TV, radio, streaming services, websites, apps, social media, or newspapers (print/digital). While the majority of responses came from the Phoenix Metro area (55%), the study also includes perspectives from Tucson, northern, and southern Arizona for a full display.
How are Arizonans consuming media daily?
Local AM/FM radio topped the list of top 15 habits, with Arizonans spending an average of three hours and 48 minutes listening, marking a significant 17-point increase from last year. Paid subscription streaming video services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video came in second at just over three hours. Free video streaming platforms, like YouTube, followed with an average of two hours and 20 minutes.
Local television clocked in at one hour and 39 minutes per day. Altogether, local TV stations across linear, digital, and social platforms represent more than three hours of daily media consumption in Arizona.
What is TV consumption like in 2025?
- 55% of respondents stream TV via a device like Roku
- 42% use a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV
- 29% rely solely on streaming services like Hulu and Netflix without cable
- 28% use an antenna
The top streaming subscriptions?
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu continue to dominate. Notably, YouTube TV saw a major increase, jumping 10 percentage points from 2024.
What about weekly social media usage?
YouTube continues to lead as a dominant streaming platform, followed closely by Facebook, which remains a strong tool for reaching audiences aged 55+. Instagram and TikTok round out the next two spots, popular among the 18–34 demographic but showing steep declines of 26 and 27 points, respectively, among the 55+ age group. Across all platforms, smartphones remain the most owned and frequently used device.
The good news?
Local media and news continue to be trusted and valued. Nearly 50% of respondents expressed high trust in local news, and 86% reported a neutral or better opinion regarding trust in local sources. Respondents also ranked local TV, newspapers, and radio as neutral in political bias and highly factual, standing out compared to national media and popular podcasts sentiments.
Overall, poll participants also shared that local media helps them feel more connected, delivers value and authenticity, and empowers them to engage with their communities.
Want to get connected with your community and the media? HMA is here to help you reach your goals. Contact us!