July 17, 2017

The Report assesses the performance of the designated public service broadcasters: the BBC, ITV, STV, UTV, Channel 4, S4C and Channel 5.

The Report includes statistical information on how much these broadcasters are spending on new programmes, and the amount of programmes they are showing in different genres. It also looks at the extent to which audiences are watching these programmes, and how satisfied they are with them.

The Report is based on data for the calendar year 2016. Findings include:

• viewing to the five main PSB channels accounted for 51% of all broadcast TV viewing, unchanged from the previous year;
• the average individual in the UK watched three hours and 32 minutes of TV per day, a decline of four minutes in the last year;
• the decline in TV viewing is more evident among younger people aged between 16-24, and children aged 4-15, who watched a third less TV than they did in 2010;
• the PSB channels spent £2.6 billion on new programmes, and increased spending on factual, sports and children’s programmes. They reduced spending on comedy programmes, which is now at its lowest level in ten years;
• UK audiences continue to watch and value PSBs, with 78% of viewers saying they were satisfied or very satisfied with their programmes, up five percentage points. More than eight in ten (83%) people aged over four watched any of the main five PSB channels in a typical week; and
• spending on original UK programmes for viewers in the nations and regions increased 2% in real terms, reaching £276 million in 2016.

To access the Annual Report, click here.

Survey: Ofcom publishes UK Audience Attitudes Towards Broadcast Media.

Ofcom’s annual survey explores attitudes towards programme standards, advertising and regulation in 2016.

Findings include:

• UK adults’ opinion of the quality of television programmes has remained unchanged since 2015, with more than half (54%) feeling that the quality of programmes has stayed the same;
• three in ten (29%) adults felt that programme quality had worsened, unchanged since the previous year;
• levels of personal offence in response to programmes remain low and unchanged since the previous year, at one fifth of adults; and
• nine in ten adults were aware of the 9pm watershed, unchanged since last year.

To access the survey results, click here.