Digital Television Round-Up – August 2004
ITV saw its average weekly share of viewing in all homes drop by 3.3% points year on year during August to below the crucial 20% mark as the success of the BBC’s Olympic coverage took its toll on the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster.
Analysis of the latest viewing figures from BARB reveal a disappointing period for ITV, which has been haemorrhaging viewers in the face of a strong summer of sport from the BBC and the overwhelming popularity of this year’s Big Brother on Channel 4.
The broadcaster has also recently been forced to drop reality-TV flop The Block from its peak-time slot amid ongoing fears that a dip in viewing could mean it has to pay as much as £100 million in compensation to some of the UK’s biggest advertisers (see ITV Drops Peak-Time Shows To Avoid Viewing Slump).
However, ITV is putting its faith in a strong autumn schedule which includes a range of new dramas and star-studded entertainment shows. ITV chief executive, Charles Allen, is confident that viewing will pick up and advertising revenues for the third quarter are expected to grow by over 5.5% (see Improved Advertising Revenue Drives ITV Profits Up 59%).
Meanwhile, wall-to-wall coverage of the Olympic Games in Athens helped BBC One to see its average share of weekly viewing rise by a solid 2.2% points in all homes to 26.6%. The prestigious sporting event also attracted record numbers to the Corporation’s interactive services (see Interactive Olympics Draws Millions To BBC).
Channel 4 recorded a 0.5% points year on year increase in its share of viewing during August, whilst Five suffered a nominal 0.5% points dip during the same period to just over the 6.3% mark. Other Channels rose by 1.7% points in year on year analysis to command a 26.7% share of average weekly viewing.
BBC One also performed well in digital homes with the extensive interactive options surrounding its Olympics coverage helping to push its average share of weekly viewing 3.7% higher during August to 21.6%. BBC Two also managed a slight 0.4% points rise during the same period to 7.2%.
ITV proved some what less fortunate with its grip on digital audiences dipping by 1.8% points in year on year analysis to 15.2%. However, the broadcaster recently announced plans to launch a raft of new channels over the next five years in an effort to compete more effectively against the BBC in the burgeoning multi-channel environment (see ITV Reveals Plans To Launch Range Of New Channels).
The five main terrestrial channels continued to perform better in Freeview homes than in Sky Digital homes during August due to the lack of rivalry from multi-channel competitors. BBC One commanded the highest average share of weekly viewing with almost 29%, followed by ITV with just over 20%. Channel 4 reached 11.6% of Freeview audiences, compared with just over 7% of Sky Digital audiences.
The wider variety available via Sky Digital helped Other Channels to command a 50.7% share of average weekly viewing in satellite homes, compared with just under 20% in Freeview homes. However, Freeview continues to increase in popularity and the service is now available in an estimated 4 million homes across the UK (see Freeview Now In An Estimated 4 Million UK Homes).
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