TV put in another robust performance in the first three months of 2009, with average daily hours viewed standing at 3.96 hours for all individuals, according to the latest IPA Trends in Television report published today.
This compares to 3.74 hours in Q4 2008 and 3.97 hours year on year, said the IPA.
It also found that the share of total television viewing taken by non-terrestrial channels continues to grow and now stands at 39.9%, compared with 39% in Q4 2008 and 38.1% a year previously.
In addition, 86.5% of all homes now have digital reception capability; however, this figure is growing quickly as digital switchover gathers pace, said the IPA.
Around 94% of all individuals claim to have viewed television at all in an average week, with the BBC continuing to take the largest share of viewing of any broadcaster at 32.8%, followed by ITV with a 23.3% share.
Lynne Robinson, IPA research director, said: “This is another encouraging quarter for television viewing, both for all and commercial-only television.
“The major trends in the report are yet again the continued growth in non-terrestrial television in terms of reception, reach and share of viewing.”
In March, Screen Digest forecast that UK TV advertising revenue would drop by 7.7% in 2009. Amplified by audience fragmentation, analogue terrestrial TV will be hit hardest, it said, with both ITV1 and Channel 4 forecast to be down 10% in 2009 (see UK ad revenue to drop 8% in 2009).
