Media and Culture Barometer 2023

Uppdatedt: 23. febrúar 2026

Seven out of ten aged 16 years and older used social media daily. Slightly fewer, around six out of ten, visited news websites, watched television and used video streaming services. Daily media use amounted on average to nearly seven hours. More than half attended concerts, visited historical sites and cultural festivals, and visited museums during the previous 12 months. Around half engaged in music activities and four in ten pursued photography. Seven out of ten wrote comments on social media about civic or social issues, and six out of ten signed petitions and/or took part in protests or demonstrations. Seven out of ten spent time with family members, relatives and friends outside the home at least monthly, and one in three (34%) at least weekly. These are among the findings of the newly published survey by Statistics Iceland, Media and Culture Barometer 2023, which maps access to and use of media, participation in arts events and culture-related hobbies, and social activity and civic participation among residents aged 16 years and older.

Broadly speaking, media use among residents falls into two patterns: on the one hand, general and intensive use, particularly of many of the internet-based media; and on the other hand, more limited use of various traditional media, especially print media (see figure). This applies both in terms of frequency of use and time spent. Similar conclusions can be drawn regarding cultural participation and cultural practices by social position.

On a daily basis, around half or more of the population used social media, news websites and streaming services, listened to music and watched television. More than eight in ten used these media in a typical week. By comparison, two in ten read news newspapers (daily papers, weekly papers and regional and local newspapers) daily, and fewer than one in ten skimmed magazines daily. Fourteen per cent read printed books (other than textbooks) daily. A similar share (15%) read e-books daily. Considerably more listened to audiobooks daily, or 22%.

Of individual media, residents spent the longest time per day on average watching television and content on streaming services—1 hour and 24 minutes. Only slightly less time was spent listening to music (1 hour and 18 minutes). Daily time on social media was just over an hour (1 hour and 6 minutes), and listening to radio was just under an hour (54 minutes). Daily use of other media was considerably shorter (see figure).

Listening to podcasts averaged half an hour per day, roughly the same amount of time as was spent reading news websites. Video games were played for less than half an hour per day on average (24 minutes). Slightly less time per day was spent reading books, listening to audiobooks and reading newspapers (12 minutes), and reading e-books and magazines (6 minutes).

Overall, it can be estimated that on average the population spent close to seven hours per day (6 hours and 54 minutes) using media. It is worth bearing in mind that the time spent using media does not preclude engaging in other activities simultaneously, whether at play or at work.

Further analysis shows that media use appears to be influenced to a considerable extent by social and economic position. Overall, media use is higher among women than men; among older rather than younger people; in the Capital Region rather than outside it; among those with higher levels of education; among those active in the labour market; and among those in the middle and upper parts of the income distribution. This applies less to media use that takes place online, especially streaming services and video games. There, younger people, students and those lower down the income distribution generally appear as more active users.

Media use seems also to be influenced by citizenship. Usage is, naturally, considerably lower among many of those of foreign origin than among those of Icelandic origin. Many of the former have come to Iceland for temporary stays for work. They often face greater barriers to accessing media, including due to living conditions, a more limited range of content available to them, and reduced engagement with domestic media owing to language barriers and cultural differences.

Three out of four residents (75%) read and/or listened to books other than textbooks during the previous 12 months. By far the largest share read and/or listened to books in Icelandic—eight out of ten (78%). Just over half (58%) read and/or listened to books in English. Reading books in other Nordic languages was relatively uncommon, with just under one in ten (8%) reading and/or listening to books in one of the Nordic languages.

Fiction was the most common category: nearly nine out of ten (88%) read and/or listened to novels in the past year. Biographies and various non-fiction topics were the second and third most common, with around half stating that they had read and/or listened to books of this kind (55% and 50%). Two thirds bought a book for their own use during the year, and 56% had a subscription to an e-book and/or audiobook service. Around six out of ten had used a public library during the year. By far the most common reason for using public libraries was borrowing, or in six out of ten cases (62%).

Almost everyone used news websites over the year (99%). Of these, 94% used domestic news websites and three out of four (76%) read foreign news websites. Around three out of four (73%) skimmed daily newspapers at some point during the year. Dailies (sold and free papers) were delivered regularly to 35% of households. Around six out of ten (57%) reported having skimmed domestic weekly newspapers during the year. One in ten households (13%) had a subscription to domestic weekly papers. Seven out of ten (70%) had read local and community newspapers over the same period. Fewer than two out of ten households (17%) had a subscription to a regional/local paper. News content, domestic and foreign, was the most read material in newspapers (73% and 69%). Other content was read considerably less.

Magazines were read by just under seven out of ten (68%). Most, or close to half, read magazines covering culture and the arts (44%), and science, technology and nature (42%). Domestic magazines were purchased by 16% of households and foreign magazines by 7%.

Seven out of ten went to the cinema during the previous 12 months. Around one in ten (8%) attended film screenings in cinemas. More people watched television via non-linear services than via linear broadcasting (96% compared with 81%). Drama/fiction was the most popular television content, with around nine out of ten (88%) watching such content. Next most popular were news and news-related content (79%), followed by documentaries (75%).

Around six out of ten households had subscriptions to domestic television channels and streaming services (61%), while eight out of ten households (80%) subscribed to foreign streaming services. Just under half (44%) had rented and/or purchased films and other video content during the year.

Some 78% listened to radio during the year. Just under half (43%) listened to both domestic and foreign podcasts, while 35% listened only to Icelandic podcasts and 22% only to foreign podcasts. Eight out of ten (80%) listened to radio and podcasts in the car, and around seven out of ten (68%) listened at home.

Listening to radio news and current affairs was most common (73%), and second was music and music-related content (69%). For podcasts, talk and interview programmes were most popular (59%), followed by historical content (54%).

Almost everyone (94%) listened to music. Three out of four households (74%) subscribed to a music streaming service. Two out of ten (18%) had bought music on CD/vinyl and/or via streaming. By far the most listened-to genres were pop and rock (81% and 86%). Listening at home was most common (91%), followed by listening in the car (87%).

Just over half (57%) played video games during the year. Most played computer and mobile games (48%); 28% played on a games console and 4% in virtual reality.

Just over nine out of ten (92%) were active on social media during the year. Social media were most commonly used to communicate with relatives, friends and acquaintances (94%), and to follow events (72%) and news (71%).

Six out of ten (59%) attended concerts during the previous 12 months. A similar share (58%) visited historical sites and took part in cultural festivals of various kinds, or visited museums (57%). Somewhat fewer attended events of performing arts (47%). Art exhibitions were attended by 37%, and sports competitions and matches by 34%. Attendance at film festivals was much lower, or only 8% (see figure).

As individual culture-related hobbies are concerned, most people engaged in music (playing an instrument and singing), at just under half (48%) (see figure). Photography was the next most common hobby, with four out of ten (41%) reporting it. Creative writing was the third most common culture-related hobby, practised by 36%.

Other common hobbies, pursued by around a quarter of respondents, included dance (29%) and crafts of various kinds (e.g. sewing and knitting) (24%). Considerably fewer (15%) engaged in visual arts. Fewer than one in ten engaged in carving and woodworking (8%), design and graphic arts (7%), film and video-making (7%), programming and video game design (6%), and acting (4%).

The survey also asked about civic engagement and social activity. Among individual activities, seven out of ten (69%) had posted comments on social media about civic or social issues, and six out of ten (63%) had signed a petition and/or taken part in protests or demonstrations during the previous 12 months (see figure).

Over the preceding 12 months, almost a quarter (24%) had undertaken voluntary work, and 15% had carried out tasks on behalf of voluntary organisations. Relatively few had written a blog and/or posted a status update on social media about civic issues (9%), attended a trade union meeting (7%), attended a political meeting (7%), or worked for a political party (5%). The fewest (4%) had written an article about social issues that was published in the media or posted online.

Seven out of ten (71%) spent time with family members, close relatives and friends who did not live in the household at least monthly (see figure). Of these, 34% spent time with close relatives and friends weekly or more often. Five per cent reported not spending any time with close relatives and friends. Most of those in this position were of foreign origin—nearly nine out of ten (87%).

The results are presented as proportions of respondents. A sampling estimate is published alongside the results so that users can better assess their reliability. The sampling estimate is indicated as follows:

* <20

** <30

*** <40

Unacceptable 40>

Statistics

Media and Culture Barometer 2023 260223 (xlsx)