Germany’s capital leads country in online radio listening

Berlin remains one of Germany’s most advanced markets for digital radio consumption. According to the Online Audio Monitor 2025, 55.8% of Berlin residents aged fourteen and older now listen to radio online, a rate slightly above the national average. Streams from established broadcasters continue to drive most of this activity.

With 55.8% of listeners tuning in online, Berlin sits just ahead of the nationwide figure of 55.7%. The data indicates the continued integration of digital radio into urban listening habits, supported by the simultaneous distribution of FM and DAB+ programs online, as well as the growth of additional digital-only channels. These online streams help radio brands maintain their presence in an increasingly fragmented audio landscape.

Most Berlin listeners access radio through simulcast streams of existing stations. These services — broadcast on air and online — retain a strong audience, while channels explicitly created for the web are gaining traction. Many of these spin-off streams focus on music or news, illustrating how both local and national broadcasters are adapting to a multiplatform environment.

Daily and mobile listening

Nearly one in two Berlin residents listens to online radio daily or almost daily, and around seven in ten do so at least once a month. Listening remains predominantly at home but is expanding steadily into mobile environments. Eighty-five percent of users report consuming digital radio streams outside their homes, particularly while commuting or at work. Radio, therefore, continues to play an accompanying role, even in connected listening.

The smartphone remains the primary device for accessing digital radio, cited by more than eight in ten listeners. Other devices are experiencing significant growth, including connected TVs and smart speakers, which have increased by 25% and 27%, respectively, compared to 2024. These shifts reflect the widening reach of radio across screens and confirm the complementary role of broadcast and digital access in Berlin’s audio ecosystem.