Paul Green
Cultural Reporter
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People in the UK spend an average of four hours and 30 minutes a day watching TV and video content and watch TV and video content at home in 2024
According to Ofcom's annual report, YouTube has become the second largest media service in the UK, second only to the BBC.
The country's media regulator found that one in five young viewers first entered the video sharing platform when they turned on their smart TVs, while older people watched more.
Alpha generation – between 4 and 15 years old – turned to YouTube first, while people over 55 looked twice as fast as YouTube was two years ago.
Ofcom's interim strategy and research director Ed Leighton said the scheduled TV is “increasingly strange” to younger audiences, and YouTube is now “the first call port for many” when they pick up the remote.
“But we also see signs that older people will also turn to platforms as part of their daily media diet,” he noted.
“Welcome the audience”
Not only are YouTube's listeners changing, but the content they showcase is also.
Half of the platform's best videos are now more like traditional TV, including long-term interviews and game shows; positioning it as an ad-supported TV service from direct competitors, while providing broadcasters with a way to attract younger and wider audiences.
Mr Leighton added that public service broadcasters are “recognizing this shift” and “relocating audiences to online spaces, who are increasingly spending their time”.
He continued: “But we need to see more ambitions in this regard to ensure audience value in the public service media for a long time in the future.”
BBC/PA
Gavin and Stacey finale are the most watched shows on linear TV in 2024
Overall, people watch radio and television in 2024 for 4% less than the previous year, while the average daily viewing on TV dropped to 24 minutes and 24 minutes.
This trend is especially driven by young people (16-24), who only watch live TV for 17 minutes a day. Less than half of the age group (45%) are adjusted to radio and television every week, down from 48% in 2023.
Despite the rise of streaming, radio and television still account for 56% of home viewing.
This is especially true in big events like Christmas, where the festivities and cup finals are the list of the most watched moments last year:
- Gavin and Stacey: The finale is the most watched show last year on Linear Telly (18.6 million, including catch-up)
- Next came Wallace and Gromitt’s second place: Most birds (16.9 million).
- Mr. Bates’ fourth episode with the Post Office is the third (14.7 million)
- The 2024 European Cup 2024 Football Final between England and Spain is a live sporting event that was watched last year, BBC, ITV and STV (19.8 million)
- In the first quarter of this year, Netflix's adolescence was the most watched TV event (12.2 million), making it the first streaming champion that surpassed weekly TV ratings