Television still ranks as the world’s most popular medium, averaging around 184 minutes daily viewing last year, according to media agency network ZenithOptimedia.

Globally, time spent online came a distinct second, averaging 109.5 minutes per day in 2014, Zenith analysts noted in a new report, Media Consumption Forecasts, released last month.

Although time spent watching TV worldwide will contract by 1.6% each year between 2014 and 2017, while time online expands by 1.4% each year over the same period, traditional TV will still represent more than a third (34.7%) of global media consumption by 2017, according to Zenith forecasts.

Internet’s share – including online extensions for traditional broadcasters and publishers – will reach 28.6% over the same time.

The picture on the ground varies however, as consumer lifestyles adapt to new digital possibilities.

Last year, the internet overtook TV to become the most popular medium by time spent in China and Taiwan, and is poised to follow suit in Australia this year, Zenith suggests, reflecting how online media is becoming mainstream.

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THE BIGGEST LISTENERS, READERS AND VIEWERS

Time spent with media in Asia-Pacific is poised to grow well ahead of the global average, according to a new report from ZenithOptimedia, reflecting how the region’s economic development gives people more access to media, as well as more leisure time to consume it. 

Our video looks at which markets in Asia were the biggest consumers of the internet, newspapers, radio and TV in 2014.

Zenith’s study covers most major markets in the region, with the exception of Japan and Korea. 

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In other markets, especially places where internet penetration is relatively low, the transition is further off.

Television viewing remains relatively resilient across much of South and Southeast Asia for example, even as online time continues to grow.

Worldwide, total media time is rising, spurred by rapid growth in internet use.

Time spent with most traditional media is declining however, as the internet becomes a bigger part of people’s lives. 

The exception is out-of-home, holding steady on a global basis as more displays are built in public spaces, more people move to cities in emerging markets, and people with more money in their pockets spend a greater part of their leisure time outdoors.

Zenith expects exposure to outdoor advertising to inch up by 0.2% each year between 2014 and 2017.