The way we consume media is rapidly changing, with a new report from Ofcom revealing that for the first time, less than half of 16 to 24-year-olds are now watching traditional TV on a television set at home each week.
According to the annual Media Nations report, just 48% of young adults tuned in during an average week last year, compared to 76% five years ago. Those who did watch traditional TV spent an average of 33 minutes each day, a 16% decrease from the previous year.
Instead, young adults are spending three times as long each day watching video-sharing platforms like TikTok and YouTube, with an average of 1 hour and 33 minutes. This shift in viewing habits is not limited to young adults, as children between the ages of four and 15 are also watching less traditional TV compared to previous years.
Interestingly, there has also been a decline in middle-aged viewers and a slight increase in viewers over the age of 75. Overall, TV viewing figures declined by 6% last year, but there was a brighter outlook for radio. The first quarter of 2024 saw the highest number of weekly radio listeners in the last 20 years, with an average of 20.5 hours per week.
Commercial radio stations have seen continued success, with over seven in 10 people tuning in at least once a week. BBC Radio 2 remains the most popular UK station, but commercial radio stations have a slightly lower average listening time each week.
While traditional TV viewing may be on the decline, streaming services like Spotify and YouTube continue to grow in popularity. Music streaming now accounts for two-thirds of the total income for the record industry.
Despite these shifts in viewing habits, TV screens are becoming more popular for watching YouTube content, with 34% of time spent watching YouTube at home now on a TV set. Overall, UK viewers watched more TV and video content at home in 2023, with an average of 4 hours and 31 minutes a day.
The report also highlights the growth of broadcast video-on-demand services like iPlayer and ITVX, which grew by 29% in 2023. Subscription streaming services like Netflix remain popular, but their reach has plateaued, with about two-thirds of households using at least one service last year. Despite this, the sector made nearly £4 billion in subscription revenue, a 22% increase largely due to price increases.
As technology continues to evolve, it’s clear that our viewing habits are changing, and the way we consume media is constantly shifting.
