BBC Viewing Share Falls

The BBC has seen its viewing share in all homes fall from 36.2% a year ago to 34.9% in an average week, its annual report revealed today.

However, in multichannel homes its share shows just 0.1% difference to last year, at 29.8% compared with 29.7% last year. The figures, based on BARB, were released as part of the corporation’s annual report, which also detailed spending on its channels and strategies for new media.

In multichannel homes, BBC One was down from 19.7% to 19.2%, whilst in all homes it fell from 24.4% to 22.9%. Expenditure on the channel was down £32.5 million from last year, at £840.4 million. BBC2’s viewing share also was down in all homes, from 9.6% to 9.4%, although it was up in multichannel homes, from 6.7% to 7%.

BBC Three was up in all homes, from 0.5% to 0.6%, while BBC Four was a non-mover, with 0.2% in all homes and 0.3% in multichannel homes. BBC Three was up in multichannel homes from 0.8% to 0.9%, although its expenditure stayed the same as last year, on £92.9. BBC Four’s expenditure for 2005/06 was £46.9 million, up from last year’s £41.1 million.

BBC News 24 stayed at 0.4% in all homes and 0.6% in multichannel homes. The channel’s budget increased from £22.9 million in 2004/05 to £23.1 million.

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