Freeview Helps Boost Multi-Channel Viewing
The increasing popularity of Freeview is helping to boost the share of viewing for digital and cable-only channels, according to the latest Trends In Television report from the IPA.
The figures show that non-terrestrial broadcasters are gaining ground in the battle for ratings, with their combined share of viewing rising to almost 24% in the second quarter of this year, as the number of people with access to the new digital terrestrial service reached 1.6 million (see Freeview Convinces Sceptics To Join Digital Revolution).
Digital and cable-only channels, such as Sky One, ITV2, E4, took the largest peaktime share of the lucrative 16 to 34 year-old audience, commanding more than 25% of this key demographic, ahead of ITV with just under 24% and BBC1 with 23.5%.
The IPA’s research director, Lynne Robinson, said: “The total level of recorded television viewing continues to grow, while the share in viewing for non-terrestrial channels is increasing, spurred on no doubt by the significant growth of Freeview.”
Meanwhile, ITV1 saw its overall share of viewing dip to 23.6% during the three months to June, down from 24.6% in the same period the previous year and BBC1 dropped to 25.5%, down from 27.2% a year ago.
Channel 4, which recently appointed Kevin Lygo as its new director of television (see Lygo Set To Return To Channel 4), also dipped year on year, with its share falling to 9.8%, down from 10.2% in the second quarter of 2002.
The outlook was more positive for Five, which was the only terrestrial broadcaster to see its share of viewing increase year on year. The channel, which is attempting to reposition itself as the home of classic US dramas and arts documentaries (see Lygo Strips Channel Five Of All Adult Content), recorded a 6.5% share of viewing in the three months to June, up from 6.4% in the same period the previous year.
Recent research suggests that Freeview is helping to convince previously hard to reach digital refuseniks of the benefits of multi-channel television (see Freeview Convinces Sceptics To Join Digital Revolution). However, it has been claimed that the digital terrestrial service is failing to market itself as a commercial platform (see Freeview Fails To Market Itself As Commercial Platform).
IPA: 020 7235 7020 www.ipa.co.uk
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