Product category:
Media
News Release from: Attentional | Subject: UK TV viewing habits
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 08 February 2008
UK total TV viewing forecast to rise
Attentional's latest forecasts suggest that a number of factors will combine to offer a brighter future for UK television over the next five years than previously anticipated.
One factor behind this trend is the rapid conversion of older viewers to digital platforms, where the availability of extra channels means they tend to watch more television The digital conversion of younger viewers who have so far resisted taking up multichannel technologies is also playing a significant role
This article was originally published on Marketingservicestalk on 16 Aug 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Spokespeople must face up to Facebook threat
Consultancy reveals only 30 per cent of users activate security settings when posting on social networking sites and warns press spokespeople not to expose personal information.
Digital skills shortage blights sector growth
Latest research by Chinwag Jobs, the UK's leading recruitment website for digital media, reveals that with a limited talent pool to trawl, there are not enough big fish to go around.
The imminent prospect of analogue switch-off, combined with falling multichannel technology prices, means these trends are likely to continue.
The forecast finds growing evidence that the downward trend in average daily viewing time among young adults (16-34) has now levelled out.
Broadcasters are working very hard to attract and retain younger viewers, with strong brand promotions through the internet (eg E4's Skins), coupled with on-demand catch-up viewing, all helping to draw younger viewers to programmes they may otherwise have missed.
Further reading
Internet TV research probes viewing behaviour
New research reveals that as online video usage goes mainstream, the PC has become the second TV in many homes.
Brand perceptions at mercy of a mouse click
Paul Nadin, founder of reviewcentre.com, the consumer review site, anticipates a significant shift in marketing strategies following the growth of consumer-generated media.
Overall, the forecasts suggest that the average daily viewing time of young adults will fall by 1 per cent.
But due to rising levels of immigration into the UK, the officially projected 5.5 per cent increase in the number of adults aged 16-34 in the UK population results in a predicted 4.6 per cent rise in total television viewing for this group by 2012.
The only demographic group for which a significant fall in total television viewing has been forecast is children (4-15), where a continued (albeit slowing) fall in average daily viewing time, coupled with a declining population, is likely to result in a 4 per cent decrease in total television viewing over the next five years.
The current forecasts are the basis of Attentional's latest channel performance forecasting tool, which will be released later this month.
In conjunction with our Microgenre coding system, they also underpin Attentional's strategic forecasting model for testing future scenarios ranging from potential scheduling changes to new channel launches.
Our model was recently used to forecast scenarios for children's television as part of Ofcom's The Future of Children's Television Programming consultation.
Attentional forecasts combine advanced statistical modelling techniques with industry standard (BARB) viewing data to offer an unprecedented level of demographic resolution.
The forecasts cover: universe, average daily viewing and total TV audience, for 18 demographic groups and four household reception types (analogue terrestrial, digital terrestrial, cable, and satellite), and are now available as reports.
• Attentional: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Marketingservicestalk email newsletter
• Marketingservicestalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
