Australian movies and cinema websites and apps drew 5.9 million people in May, as major film releases helped drive the category to its second-highest online audience on record, according to Ipsos iris.
The May 2026 data shows the category grew 15 per cent year-on-year. Nearly a quarter of online Australians aged over 14 visited Event Cinemas, Hoyts, Palace Cinemas or Village Cinemas websites or apps during the month.
Cinema audiences rise with major releases
Ipsos iris said the growth was fuelled by major box office releases, including the highly anticipated Devil Wears Prada sequel, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, Mortal Kombat II, Project Hail Mary and Hugh Jackman’s The Sheep Detectives.
Hoyts Cinemas reached 2.56 million Australians across its website and apps in May, up 33.9 per cent year-on-year. Event Cinemas reached just over two million, up 4.7 per cent.
Village Cinemas recorded audience growth of 19.2 per cent, while Palace Cinemas rose 17.0 per cent. Total time spent on movies and cinema websites and apps also increased by more than 20 per cent year-on-year.
The digital audience lift aligned with national box office figures from Val Morgan Cinemas, which showed May was the biggest May on record for Australian cinemas, with box office sales reaching $119 million.
News websites reach 21 million Australians
The Ipsos iris May data also showed 21 million people used a news website or app, reaching 93.2 per cent of online Australians aged 14 and over.
Users spent an average of 3.39 hours reading news online across the month. Key local stories included the 2026 Federal Budget, Delta Goodrem’s Eurovision performance, State of Origin, AFL trade coverage, and major crime stories in the Northern Territory.
Global stories attracting attention included the Middle East conflict, the 2026 Met Gala, the UK’s local elections, the Champions League final, and heatwave conditions at the French Open.
Career category continues growth
The career category recorded its highest year-on-year audience growth for the third consecutive month, increasing 6.3 per cent.
Other growing categories included events and attractions, up 2.9 per cent, energy suppliers and utilities, up 2.8 per cent, technology, up 2.07 per cent, and entertainment, up 1.95 per cent.
Ipsos iris, endorsed by IAB Australia as the country’s digital audience measurement currency, found 22.57 million Australians aged over 14 used the internet in May. Australians spent an average of 4.96 hours online each day.
The most consumed digital categories in May were search engines at 22.47 million, social networking at 22.46 million, online media at 22.45 million, technology at 22.41 million, and entertainment at 22.18 million.
About the Ipsos iris data
Ipsos iris measures Australians aged 14 and over across smartphone, PC, laptop and tablet devices.
The service uses a hybrid methodology, combining metered data from a nationally representative single-source passive panel with site-centric census measurement through media owner tagging.