• Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Media Info
    • Terms & Conditions for Advertisers
    • Mechanical Data

Broadband TV News

Independent. Since 2003

  • Home
  • News Line
    • Central & East Europe
    • People
  • TV
    • On Demand/VOD
    • IPTV
    • Cable
    • Satellite
    • Terrestrial
    • Distribution
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Columns
    • Chris Dziadul
    • Julian Clover
    • Robert Briel
  • Events
    • Events Diary
    • BTN Events
    • Events Coverage
    • Submit the details of your event
  • Features
  • Resources
    • White Papers

Brits spend a third of their time watching the TV

August 5, 2021 08.05 Europe/London By Julian Clover

It used to be said that watching too much TV would make your eyes go square. If that remains true, then the findings of an Ofcom survey will have Brits calling their opticians.

With the country spending 2020 in a series of rolling lockdowns, UK streaming subscriptions grew by 50% to 31 million during the pandemic.

More than half of UK households (52%) have taken out a Netflix subscription – meaning its customer base exceeds that of the traditional pay-TV providers combined for the very first time. Three in five UK homes now subscribe to a streaming service.

The continued growth of streaming services contributed to the more than 2,000 hours of time spent watching TV and video content in 2020. That works out at a daily average of five hours and 40 minutes – 47 minutes more than in 2019.1 – driven by the one hour and 5 minutes per day spent watching streamers.

Amazon Prime video’s catalogue is the largest at over 41,000 hours, followed by Netflix at around 38,000. The combined content catalogues of All 4, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub and My5 were narrowly short of this at 37,000 hours.

Yih-Choung Teh, Ofcom’s Group Director, Strategy and Research, said: “The pandemic undoubtedly turbo-charged viewing to streaming services, with three in five UK homes now signed up. But with subscriber growth slowing into 2021 and lockdown restrictions easing, the challenge for the likes of Netflix, Amazon and Disney will be to ensure a healthy pipeline of content and keep customers signed up.”

UK TV Viewing in 2020

All UK Adults

16-34s

Source: Ofcom

The average time spent watching traditional broadcast TV each day in 2020 was 3 hours 12 minutes – nine minutes higher than in 2019. But this increase was entirely driven by people aged 45 and over.

Younger age groups continued to watch less broadcast TV in 2020; people aged 16-24, for example, only spent an hour and 17 minutes watching broadcast content – down from one hour and 21 minutes in 2019.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Editor's Choice, Newsline Tagged With: Ofcom Edited: 6 August 2021 12:23

About Julian Clover

Julian Clover is a Media and Technology journalist based in Cambridge, UK. He works in online and printed media. Julian is also a voice on local radio. You can talk to Julian on Twitter @julianclover, on Facebook or by email at jclover@broadbandtvnews.com.

Latest News

  • CNMV approves Mediaset España takeover
  • NPAW and 3SS Partner create customer intelligence platform
  • VOD usage grows in Spain
  • DAZN to cut UK staff numbers
  • Ateme to run Champions League Final streaming in Spain

Watch Video

In Conversation: Smart Routers mean Smart Homes

In the first edition of In Conversation, Julian Clover discusses how smart routers are evolving to serve the smart home with Stuart Griffin, Founder & Technologist, Consult Red. … [Webinar Replay...]

Q & A

OTT Question Time – now in association with Broadband TV News

Kauser Kanji, MD of VOD Professional, introduces the industry forum OTT Question Time. … [Read More]

Free Ebook

eBook: Overcoming the Top 5 Challenges in Server-side IP Ad insertion

IP video is a game-changer for advertising. However, unlike traditional television, IP video is more dynamic, with new devices, formats, content and services to consider. … [Download the eBook...]

Broadband TV News

  • Subscribe
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Logos & Pictures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Advertising

  • Media Info
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Mechanical Data
  • Video Services

News

  • Latest
  • Central & East Europe
  • TV
  • Tech
  • Streaming
  • Cable
  • Satellite
  • Terrestrial
  • IPTV
  • Business
  • People

Events

  • Events Diary
  • BTN Events
  • Submit the details of your event
  • Media Meet & Greet

Broadband TV News

PO Box 499
Cambridge
United Kingdom
CB1 0AH
news@broadbandtvnews.com

Connect with Us

 

Copyright © 2022 Broadband TV News LLP · Log in

 

Loading Comments...