6 days ago
Usage data 2025: DW reaches 337 million weekly users
DW has gained 17 million new users compared to the previous year, driven largely by audience-targeted content and a strategic expansion on digital platforms.
DW continues to follow a focused digital strategy to keep pace with shifting media consumption habits in its target regions. The success of this approach is clear: online usage has grown steadily since 2021. In 2025, TikTok stands out as DW's second-strongest digital platform after YouTube.
Video remains the primary format for accessing DW content, accounting for 80 percent of total usage with 276 weekly users. Regional TV partners that broadcast DW content continue to play a central role in audience reach, supported by digital platforms and DW's TV channels.
Most usage is generated via the following platforms: TV distribution partners: 110 million
YouTube: 35 million
DW's TV channels: 34 million
TikTok: 33 million
Facebook: 27 million
Instagram: 25 million
Josh: 4 million
Weekly audio content remains steady at 51 million users, while text content reaches 10 million users.
Peter Limbourg, DW Director General: 'In times of global conflict and targeted disinformation campaigns, reliable journalism is more important than ever. The growing use of our offerings confirms DW's direction: with our digital strategy and focus on relevant content and platforms, we are building trust around the world. We stand for independent reporting and press freedom – especially where they are under threat.' Reach by target region
One in three DW users is based in sub-Saharan Africa, where the broadcaster reaches around 100 million people each week. Targeted video formats – especially on TikTok through DW Kiswahili and DW Hausa – continue to drive audience growth.
Asia remains DW's second-largest region, with 58 million weekly users. In 2025, DW saw moderate growth with video content across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
In Latin America, DW maintains a steady weekly reach of 56 million users, with rising TikTok engagement compensating for a drop in TV viewership caused by the channel's ban in Venezuela.
Despite ongoing political instability in the region, DW saw its first audience growth in the Middle East and North Africa since 2021 – gaining two million additional users, thanks in large part to the strong performance of DW Arabic and JaafarTalk on social media.
The Eastern part of Central Europe recorded DW's strongest regional growth in 2025, reaching 47 million weekly users – 15 million more than the previous year. Growth was driven by video content, with strong support from TV partnerships in Poland and high engagement on TikTok and Instagram.
In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, DW continues to reach 11 million weekly users. Despite censorship and restricted access in Belarus and Russia since the war in Ukraine began, video remains the dominant format – especially via Ukrainian-language TV offerings, YouTube, and TikTok. About the data
DW's usage data is collected annually by its Market and Audience Insights (MAI) department. This work is coordinated through CIBAR (Conference of International Broadcasters' Audience Research Services) – a network of international public media including the BBC, France Médias Monde, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, ABC Australia and NHK World Japan. Together, they set the standard for media research worldwide.
