UKTV’s revamp of its mobile apps contributed to a successful year for the BBC Studios-owned broadcaster.
Live TV was added to the app for the first time as part of an overhaul of the design and enhancements to content discovery and search.
In all the number of monetizable views to content on UKTV Play and pay platforms were up 34% year-on-year. UKTV play also added 1 million registered users to reach 5.45 million.
The top titles on the pay platforms included many UKTV Originals and exclusive acquisitions such as Annika, Smother, Ragdoll, The Cockfields and Bangers and Cash. The Only Fools and Horses 40th Anniversary stunt in September, which offered VOD viewers the box set of all episodes, was also a viewing success.
As part of its digital strategy, UKTV relaunched its Dave YouTube channel featuring archive clips, outtakes and specially commissioned short-form content, which helped the channel achieve over 8.4m views last year. UKTV also teamed up with BBC Studios to commission three series for Dave’s Facebook page: The Comedy Guide to Life, BackChat and Bad Advice with Olga Koch.
“In 2021 we also launched UKTV’s new digital content strategy with bespoke short-form commissions airing on Dave’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, acting as a gateway for younger viewers to engage with the brand and access our shows.
“As we look forward to 2022, we will continue UKTV’s growth trajectory by working closely with domestic and international production partners, investing smartly in content, and expanding the footprint of our much-loved brands.”
UKTV’s social feeds saw impressions rise by 12% year-on-year with an average of 20 million impressions per month.
The broadcasters SOCI (Share of Commercial Impacts) reached record levels of 8.52%, up from 8.07% in 2020. Drama celebrated its best year on record, up 11% in share of viewing, while Dave saw a 14% uplift in 16-34s and won Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Digital Awards.
