Ofcom’s annual Media Nations report reveals that live and catch-up programming viewed on a television set at home among young adults has fallen below 50%. In 2018, 76% of 16 to 24-year-olds watched traditional TV during an average week; however, in 2023, this figure fell to 48%. The report also states that on average, those who tuned in spent 33 minutes, a 16% decrease from the previous year. Instead, young adults are spending three times as long using video-sharing platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, which averages an hour and 33 minutes per day.
Children between the ages of four and 15 have also stopped watching traditional TV, with only 55% of them watching it last year. Comparatively, in 2018, it was 81%. The report indicates a decline in middle-aged viewers (45 to 54), who dropped from 89% to 84% since 2023. Those aged 65 and over also experienced a decrease in TV viewership by 5%; however, those over 75 increased their traditional TV viewing by 1%.
The Media Nations report shows a 6% drop in overall viewing figures last year, but that the rate of decline is slower than that of 2022, where it dropped by 12%. In contrast, the report highlights a bright spot via radio. The first quarter of 2024 saw the highest number of weekly radio listeners using all devices, with just under 50 million people. The listening time has also risen to an average of 20.5 hours per week. Ofcom states much of this is due to commercial radio’s success.
Despite altering viewing habits, the Television (TV) set remains the most common platform to watch YouTube content. 34% of in-house YouTube viewing is on the TV set, up from 29% in 2022, and among children aged between 4 to 15, the figure rises to 45% – an increase from the 36% figure in 2022. Additionally, YouTube’s total in-house use reached 38 minutes per person per day, up 20% annually. Furthermore, UK viewers watched more TV and video content at home in 2023, averaging four hours and 31 minutes, a 2% increase from the previous year.
Lastly, the report notes that Netflix remains the UK’s most popular subscription streaming service, accounting for upwards of 50% of all paid subscription video-on-demand viewing. Subscription streaming services have plateaued in reach, with around 68% of households using them in 2023, similar to 2022. However, the sector experienced a 22% growth in subscription revenue in 2023, earning just under £4bn, primarily due to price increases
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