3.5 million Programmes Watched On BBC iPlayer At Christmas

Over 3.5 million programmes were streamed or downloaded on demand on the BBC iPlayer in the fortnight following its Christmas day marketing launch.

BBC research reveals that an average of a quarter of a million programmes have been downloaded or streamed each day since 25 December.

Users, on average, watch each streamed programme for just under 25 minutes, while the number of users choosing to stream content currently outnumbers downloading by a factor of eight to one.

Whilst the top ten most popular programmes account for just under a quarter of all those consumed via the BBC iPlayer, programmes that are ranked outside the top 50 actually make up almost half of the total consumption.

The BBC research also suggests a significant “long tail” effect, with the BBC Four series Dance Britannia, a history of the evolution of dance, the documentary Factory: Manchester From Joy Division To Happy Mondays (BBC Four) and BBC Three’s The Real Hustle all appearing in the top 100 most streamed programmes.

Ashley Highfield, director of BBC Future Media and Technology, said: “We are delighted with the public’s response to the BBC iPlayer.

“Attracting a million visitors, who’ve accessed over three and a half million programmes, within just two weeks is a wonderful start.

“Typically, people who use the BBC iPlayer are spending nearly half an hour a day watching streams of their favourite programmes, suggesting that it looks set to revolutionise the way BBC Television programmes are viewed in the UK.

“Significantly, while the BBC iPlayer allows the public to catch up on their favourite mainstream BBC shows, it is also encouraging to see that nearly half of all programmes streamed or downloaded are placed outside the top 50, demonstrating how on demand services can bring niche programming to a wider audience.”

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