The BBC has given an insight into the viewing patterns of the 5 million people that use the iPlayer every week.
Offering a partial breakdown of audiences across the 20 or so different devices on which iPlayer content can be viewed, the BBC said that those with a Mac or PS3 prefer comedy such as Mock the Week, while PC and cable viewers on Virgin Media prefer drama along the lines of EastEnders and Waking the Dead.
The mobile version of the iPlayer shows big peaks in traffic after 21.00, and again on Saturday and Sunday mornings, suggesting the audience is tucked up in bed.
Erik Huggers, director of Future Media and Technology said in its second full year of operation the iPlayer had gone from strength to stength. “These figures show people are making the most of the choice they now have – whether it’s watching EastEnders on your PC during your lunch break, listening to Desert Island Discs on the bus or watching Mock the Week in bed, viewing patterns change depending on the time and location of the audience.” Huggers added that he was looking to extend the iPlayer to further devices during 2010.
Overall, the motoring entertainment show Top Gear, was the most viewed show so far in 2009 with 1,671,100 views. Gavin and Stacey, David Attenborough’s Life and Doctor Who all appeared in the Top 10. Programmes from the youth-skewing BBC Three were disproportionately featured in the Top 20.
TV Top 20, best performing episode by title/series
January 1, – December 13, 2009
| Programme | Episode | Network | Total Streams | |
| 1 | Top Gear Series 13 | Episode 1 | BBC Two | 1,671,100 |
| 2 | Top Gear Series 14 | Episode 1 | BBC Two | 1,299,200 |
| 3 | Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow | Edinburgh Episode 1 | BBC One | 1,173,300 |
| 4 | Gavin and Stacey Series 3 | Episode 1 | BBC One | 972,700 |
| 5 | Question Time | 22/10/2009 | BBC One | 939,400 |
| 6 | Life | Episode 1 | BBC One | 869,000 |
| 7 | Doctor Who | Planet of the Dead 11/04/2009 | BBC One | 811,800 |
| 8 | Mock the Week Series 7 | Episode 8 | BBC Two | 656,500 |
| 9 | Live at the Apollo Series 4 | Episode 1 | bbc_one | 654,100 |
| 10 | Horne and Corden | Episode 1 | bbc_three | 614,800 |
| 11 | Waterloo Road Series 5 | Episode 1 | BBC One | 605,900 |
| 12 | Being Human | Episode 1 | bbc_three | 603,300 |
| 13 | Torchwood Children of Earth | Episode 1 | bbc_one | 559,800 |
| 14 | Merlin Series 2 | Episode 1 | BBC One | 489,400 |
| 15 | Russell Howard’s Good News | Episode 1 | BBC Three | 453,400 |
| 16 | Kirsten’s Topless Ambition | 28/04/2009 | bbc_three | 453,200 |
| 17 | Spooks Series 8 | Episode 1 | BBC One | 449,900 |
| 18 | Shooting Stars Series 6 | 26/08/2009 | BBC Two | 447,000 |
| 19 | QI Series 6 | The Future Episode 9 | BBC One | 422,200 |
| 20 | Robin Hood Series 3 | Episode 13 | BBC One | 414,100 |
BBC iPlayer on mobile, requests by hour
Source: BBC Future Media & Technology
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