The Policy Studies Institute today releases its thirteenth edition of the Cultural Trends study, examining recent developments in television, radio and film.
Both television and radio are nearing saturation coverage in the UK. Around 76% of the population watch television during a typical day; the corresponding figure for a typical week is almost 94%, while radio achieves a weekly reach of 91%.
The number of households with three sets nearly doubled between 1985 and1990, while the proportion with a colour set rose from 84% to 95%. During the same period the number of house- holds with video recorders more than doubled, from 28% to 59%.
Britons are now spending £1.42bn on video recording equipment and cable and satellite subscriptions, equal to the £1.4bn BBC licence fee. Spending on pay cable and satellite channels is the fastest growth sector – £262m in 1991, compared to £18m in 1986.
Programming changes on the terrestrial channels have seen a decline in factual programmes on the BBC and abuild-up of documentaries by ITV, with the latter amounting to 17% of ITV’s total output, compared to 11% in 1985-6. The BBC has, however, increased its news output from 4.4% to 11.5%. Channel 4 is screening more repeats, up from 16.1% of output in 1985-86 to 27.8% in 1990-91.
Overall, total output by the combined terrestrial channels expanded, with ITV starting a night-time service and Channel 4 launching a breakfast service. The total number of TV viewing hours per week rose from 387 to 623 between 1982 and 1990. In the realm of cinema, annual attendances are continuing to rise, with total estimated UK admissions at 101 million. 1991 admissions generated an estimated revenue of £301m.
The report includes information on the seasonal nature of the film exhibition business and the effect of a relatively small number of box office releases. Although monthly attendance patterns conform to a broadly consistent seasonal pattern, the effect of a single box office hit can obscure the underlying seasonal picture.
Hollywood-originated films continued todominate; of the 236 films released in 1991, 65% were of United States origin; the 31 UK films released during the year accounted for only 13% of releases.
Following a long period of stagnation and real reductions in average ticket prices for cinemas, the end of the 1980’s witnessed the paradoxical situation of increasing annual admissions and ticket price increases in excess of inflation.
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