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The UK witnessed a significant decline in the number of people watching traditional broadcast television on a weekly basis last year. Even loyal older audiences are now more inclined towards digital services, according to research conducted by the media watchdog, Ofcom.
In its 2023 media nations report, Ofcom revealed that the weekly audience reach for broadcast TV dropped from 83% in 2021 to 79% in 2022. This decline follows a long-term shift away from linear TV viewing, where people watch scheduled programs live on traditional channels, indicating a swift change in consumer behavior.
The average time spent watching linear TV each day also decreased to 2 hours 38 minutes in 2022, a decline of over one-tenth compared to 2021 when pandemic restrictions likely contributed to increased viewership.
Ofcom observed a sharp decline in average daily viewing among older individuals, specifically “core” audiences aged over 65, which fell by 10% year on year and 6% compared to pre-pandemic levels. More viewers, including older demographics, now prefer digital streaming services over traditional broadcast TV. However, even with this shift, the average time spent watching TV and video content across all devices in 2022 was four hours 28 minutes per person per day, approximately 12% lower than in 2021.
Claire Enders, the founder of media research company Enders Analysis, highlighted the increasing popularity of video platforms like YouTube and TikTok among younger audiences. She noted a decrease in interest across age groups in news content, specifically during the pandemic. Enders also emphasized the significant decrease in shows with consistently high viewership, with analysts at Enders projecting a decline from two-thirds to less than half of total video viewing devoted to linear broadcasting by 2028 as streaming services like Netflix continue to grow.
The most-watched TV programs in 2022 were England’s quarterfinal match against France in the Fifa World Cup, Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, and the platinum jubilee celebrations. However, the number of programs attracting over 4 million viewers has halved since 2014, indicating a decline in “national TV moments” and lower audiences for once-dominant evening TV news bulletins, for example.
With only 48 programs averaging more than 4 million TV viewers on streaming platforms in 2022, Ofcom’s report illustrates the fragmented nature of the current viewing landscape.
The report also reveals that two-thirds of households were using a subscription streaming service in the first quarter of 2023, indicating a plateau in take-up after reaching a peak of 68% in the first quarter of the previous year.
Youth viewers now rely more on digital apps for on-demand short-form videos, prioritizing apps over scheduled TV programs. Notably, for the first time, 16 to 24-year-olds watched less broadcast TV on average than children aged between four and 15. The report also states that teenage TikTok users spend over an hour a day on the social network.
Furthermore, the research found that approximately one in five adults listened to podcasts each week.
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