Total television viewing is likely to increase by over 4% in the next five years. Forecasts from research group Attentional suggest that the amount of viewing will rise as a consequence of the rapid conversion of older audiences to multichannel television combined with the conversion of younger audiences that have so far resisted digital technologies.
Attentional’s forecast says that the downward trend in daytime viewing among younger adults (16-34) has begun to level out. Broadcasters have been working on younger audiences through both the internet and on demand catch-up viewing in order to draw them back.
Rising levels of immigration among the 16-34 age group, officially projected at 5.5%, will be reflected in a 4.6% rise in total television viewing in this group by 2012.
The only group expected to experience a fall will be among children aged 4-15, which continues to show a slow decline, resulting in a 4% decrease in the next five years.
The analysis is drawn from Attentional’s latest channel performance forecasting tool, which will be released later this month.