Staying glued to the news, loving Eurovision, and mainly using ChatGPT: The 2025 viewing and browsing habits report by yes and Pelephone presents a detailed snapshot of how Israelis consume news, entertainment, the internet, and artificial intelligence, against the backdrop of a complex and event-filled security year.
yes and Pelephone published the annual report, based on accumulated usage data and a survey conducted in December 2025 by the 2thepoint research institute among 509 participants aged 18 and above from both the Jewish and Arab communities. The data shows that an Israeli household watched an average of 9.1 hours of television per day, a decrease compared to 10.8 hours in 2024 and 10.1 hours in 2023, but similar to the 2022 viewing level of 9.2 hours. During the days of the war with Iran in June, there was a sharp 23% jump in viewing hours, reaching 11.2 hours per day.
The news events of the year were the most dominant in viewership. At the top of the list was the launch of Operation “Rising Lion” on June 13, the days of fighting with Iran, the release of the last 20 living hostages from the Gaza Strip, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel in September. The release of hostages in January and February also ranked among the peak moments. On the day the 20 hostages were released, viewership was 4.5 times higher than a regular day, with a spike already from the early morning hours. In the evenings, news viewing decreased while VOD content consumption surged, with an increase of up to 40%, a phenomenon that also occurred during previous security events.
In sports, the State Cup final, in which Hapoel Beersheba defeated Beitar Jerusalem, stood out as the most-watched broadcast of the year. It was followed by the UEFA Champions League semi-final matches between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal and between Inter and Barcelona. Israel’s national football team matches against Italy and the EuroBasket victory over France also entered the list of viewing peaks.
Eurovision 2025 recorded an unusually high viewing rate this year, with 71% watching the final, an increase of 25% compared to the previous year. A related survey found that 65% of Israelis believe it is important for Israel to participate in the contest, even though 82% believe the judging is politically biased.
Social media continues to be the main news source. 72% of Israelis get news through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, and Twitter. 64% use websites, 55% use television channels, and only 13% rely on print media. 43% of Israelis check the news at least once every one to two hours, and 55% prefer short videos over full news broadcasts. During the days of fighting with Iran, there was a 45% increase in news viewing time.
yes data also points to an intense channel-surfing culture. An average household switched channels about 50 times a day, watched 30 movies and 21 series over the year. Nine out of the ten most-watched series were Israeli original productions. 55% of viewers choose content based on friends’ recommendations, 43% according to on-screen promotions, and 37% based on social media recommendations. A third consider household members’ preferences, and 19% rely on professional reviews. 75% prefer shared viewing, and 77% of home and mobile browsing is dedicated to video and streaming.
In the mobile internet sector, there was a 12% increase in browsing volume per subscriber. Fifth-generation subscribers browse about 30% more than fourth-generation subscribers. An average Israeli household consumes about 700 GB per month, with forecasts reaching over 1 TB by 2030.
The fastest-growing app of the year is ChatGPT, with a 227% increase in usage. 96% of Israelis are familiar with at least one AI app, half use AI instead of Google, and 17% already have a paid subscription. Nevertheless, 81% prefer to see content not generated by artificial intelligence, and 86% support mandatory labeling of AI-generated content.
Telegram usage rose by 47%, and during alarms there were spikes of up to 600% in usage, mainly for watching videos and live updates. While staying in protected rooms, 42% of Israelis called their parents, 56% scrolled on their phones, and 53% talked with people present in the room.
In the app sector, there were also increases in Spotify, Zoom, Booking, and TikTok, while Tinder and Twitter saw declines. The use of digital wallets continues to rise, with 55% paying almost always without cash.
Among children and teenagers, the picture is complex. 76% of parents report that their children play computer games, 56% believe this reduces outdoor activity, and only 43% limit mobile use for ages 7 to 12. Half of the parents would like their children to stop playing Roblox and Fortnite. During the war with Iran, children’s content consumption in apps increased by 33%.
Travel abroad is also affected by the security situation. 75% of Israelis are afraid to travel abroad, mainly to Western Europe, and 67% are afraid to speak Hebrew out loud. Greece remained the preferred destination, followed by Cyprus, Italy, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. 25% reported that their flight was canceled during the year, and 70% prefer to book a vacation with a cancellation option.
Dror Bahat, Marketing Vice President of yes and Pelephone, said: “The impacts of the war and the huge interest surrounding the release of the hostages were clearly reflected in Israelis’ viewing and browsing habits. We saw peak viewership during news events and national moments, alongside a clear blue-and-white choice in culture, sports, and Israeli original productions as an expression of patriotism, pride, and connection to home. Alongside the need to stay updated and connected, Israelis surfed the channels more than ever, browsed more than ever, and didn’t give up escapism through watching movies and series, as well as the entry of artificial intelligence into every home. It is encouraging to see that the Israeli public is slightly more optimistic and less worried than last year, and looking ahead, we expect the video and AI revolution to continue leading in 2026 and the coming years.”