Streaming up, spending down: MCA survey highlights shifting TV habits in Malta

The Malta Communications Authority (MCA) has published the findings of its 2025 Perception Survey on TV and broadcasting services, revealing how Maltese households are embracing streaming platforms while traditional pay-TV spending continues to decline.

According to the survey, almost every household in Malta and Gozo – 99.9 per cent – has at least one television set, with smart TVs now present in 86 per cent of those homes. This reflects an ongoing digital shift as viewers increasingly opt for flexible, internet-enabled content options.

Local service providers have responded by developing proprietary apps for content access. Among pay-TV subscribers, 27 per cent now use these apps either alongside or in place of traditional set-top boxes, a slight increase from 25 per cent in 2023.

While cost remains a key consideration for 57 per cent of users when choosing a pay-TV service, content variety is becoming equally important. Four in ten users cited the number of available channels as a deciding factor, while access to sports (25 per cent) and movie channels (21 per cent) also influenced their choice.

However, the data also points to declining expenditure. The share of users paying more than €30 per month for their pay-TV service fell from 67 per cent in 2023 to 55 per cent in 2025. Despite this drop in spending, satisfaction levels remain high, with 93 per cent of respondents expressing positive or neutral views about their service.

The growing popularity of online streaming platforms is undeniable. Nearly half (47 per cent) of pay-TV subscribers and over half (53 per cent) of non-subscribers now use online TV platforms. In total, 53 per cent of respondents view streaming as a viable alternative to traditional pay-TV, compared to 40 per cent two years ago. The most common reasons include better channel options (44 per cent), lower costs (24 per cent), and greater availability (18 per cent).

The survey also recorded an increase in the use of digital audio broadcasting (DAB+), rising from 19 per cent in 2023 to 25 per cent in 2025. Nonetheless, reliance on DAB+ as a replacement for other services has declined from 78 per cent to 63 per cent during the same period.

Overall, the MCA’s findings paint a clear picture of changing media consumption in Malta. While television remains a near-universal fixture, viewers are turning to digital and on-demand platforms for greater flexibility, variety, and value. As consumer expectations evolve, service providers are being pushed to innovate in an increasingly competitive, digital-first landscape.