Research Shows Britain Is A Nation Of TV Addicts
Britain is rapidly becoming a nation of TV addicts and more than half of the viewing public claim they could not live without television, according to the latest findings from the BBC’s Daily Life Survey.
The study, carried out by Taylor Nelson Sofres, surveyed 6,000 licence fee payers across the country to help the BBC gain a better understanding of its audiences. It shows that UK viewers value their TV sets more than their mobile phones and almost 50% eat their dinner in front of the TV every night.
Viewers in Northern Ireland are unlikely to be fans of breakfast television and were found to get up later than the UK as a whole on weekdays. The study shows that just 54% of viewers in that part of the country are normally awake by 8:00am, compared to 67% in the rest of the UK.
Meanwhile, those in the West of England were found to go to bed the earliest and 50% are asleep between 10.30pm and 11:00pm. 48% of viewers in East Anglia are usually asleep at this time, while those in the North are the most likely late night viewers and just 32% are in bed by 10.30pm.
Stuart Knapman, the BBC’s audience insight manager, said: “These results help us go well beyond just understanding when people watch TV, listen to the radio or use the internet. They tell us how licence fee payers live their lives.”
He added: “This survey will help keep us in touch with modern audiences. By understanding different lifestyles and the way different media fits into these lifestyles, the BBC can ensure it constantly reassesses its own relevance to the 21st century audience.”
Earlier this year, research from set top box manufacturer, Pace, found that the British public could not survive Christmas without TV and would rather give up parties and presents than go without their favourite seasonal programmes (see Brits Can’t Survive Christmas Without TV).
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk
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