# RTL+ and Joyn vs. ARD Mediathek Reach by Age

> RTL+ and Joyn concentrate in the 30–49 age group (up to 2.2% primetime reach), while ARD Mediathek is the only app skewing to 50+ (1.2%)

**Period:** 1–20 September 2026  
**Market:** DE  
**Data status:** final  
**Data as of:** 2026-09-15T06:33:21.372369+00:00  
**Sample size:** n = 4,530  
**Source:** [https://www.generalevidence.com/en/insights/media/usage-behavior/streaming-app-reach-by-age-primetime-germany-sept-2026](https://www.generalevidence.com/en/insights/media/usage-behavior/streaming-app-reach-by-age-primetime-germany-sept-2026)

## Segments

- **Years:** 2026
- **Platform:** browsing
- **Age groups:** 16-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55+

## Summary

Among Android users active during the 20:00–23:00 primetime window in early September 2026, the three main German broadcaster apps serve distinctly different age profiles. RTL+ and Joyn both peak among 30–49-year-olds — the core commercial target — while ARD Mediathek is the only platform whose in-app reach is highest among over-50s, where it reaches 1.2% versus 0.6–0.7% for younger groups.

## Why the Privatfernsehen crisis hits differently across age groups

The divergence maps closely onto the broader streaming migration patterns in Germany. The 2025 ARD/ZDF media study found that public broadcaster streaming platforms now reach more than 60% of the German population — ahead of Netflix and Prime Video — and that the 50+ age group is the fastest-growing streaming cohort, with non-linear viewing rising 7 percentage points in a year. At the same time, The Voice of Germany's season 16 launch on Sat.1 and Joyn on 11 September 2026 recorded an all-time ratings low among 14–49-year-olds (6.3% market share, down from double-digit figures in prior seasons), illustrating how fractured primetime audiences have become. ARD Mediathek's 50+ skew suggests that public content — documentaries, drama, news — serves as the de facto digital living room for older viewers migrating away from linear schedules. For RTL+ and Joyn, the 30–49 concentration reflects their reality-entertainment and entertainment catalogue, which draws the mid-career audience.

## Chart

Grouped bar chart showing the share of primetime-active Android users (20:00–23:00) who used Joyn, RTL+ or ARD Mediathek on at least one evening from 1–20 September 2026, broken down by age group (14–29, 30–49, 50+). Three app clusters of three bars each; RTL+ and Joyn peak in the 30–49 group, ARD Mediathek peaks in the 50+ group.

## Methodology

Based on Android primetime session logs for Joyn, RTL+ and ARD Mediathek from 1 to 20 September 2026. Reach is the share of Android users with any foreground activity between 20:00 and 23:00 (Berlin time) who also opened the respective app at least once during that period, reported separately for each age group (14–29, 30–49, 50+). The base is all Android users with at least one app-active evening during the observation period, split by known age.

## Citation

General Evidence (2026-09-15). *RTL+ and Joyn vs. ARD Mediathek Reach by Age*. General Evidence Insights. https://www.generalevidence.com/en/insights/media/usage-behavior/streaming-app-reach-by-age-primetime-germany-sept-2026

## About General Evidence

General Evidence is a behavioral consumer-data platform. The Insights library publishes free, citable statistics derived from a panel of 29,000+ opted-in participants in Germany: observed real behavior (transactions, browsing, media), not surveys. All data is processed within the EU and is GDPR-compliant.

For brand-specific cuts, competitor benchmarks, and granular audience filters across 12,000+ tracked brands, see [https://www.generalevidence.com/en](https://www.generalevidence.com/en).