BBC no longer top choice for where to watch TV

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Netflix has marginally surpassed the BBC as the first selection for tv viewers, in accordance with a brand new Ofcom survey.

The regulator’s annual Media Nations report signifies 26% of viewers now flip to Netflix first, in comparison with 25% for the BBC, whereas ITV is the preliminary choice for 15% of audiences.

The report additionally reveals a major surge in YouTube consumption.

Time spent watching YouTube on tv units has doubled since 2022, now averaging 19 minutes each day.

Throughout all gadgets, complete YouTube viewing rose to 41 minutes per individual a day, up from 33 minutes in 2022.

This development is notably robust amongst older demographics, with weekly YouTube engagement for the over-75s rising from 28% in 2022 to 33% final yr.

Ofcom mentioned the figures underlined the “rising challenges” confronted by conventional broadcasters from world streaming platforms and on-line video companies.

Regardless of a 9% year-on-year enhance within the development of on-demand TV similar to BBC iPlayer, ITVX and 5 streaming, this was not sufficient to offset the continued decline in audiences for conventional channels.

Final yr, 70% of individuals within the UK watched content material from conventional broadcasters – together with dwell TV, recorded playback and on-demand companies – for at the very least quarter-hour in a median week, down from 73% in 2024 and 78% in 2022.

Declines had been seen throughout all age teams, together with viewers aged 75 and over.

Netflix screened the 2 most-watched programmes total in 2025 – Okay-Pop Demon Hunters and Adolescence – with the BBC up to now this yr screening eight of the ten most-watched programmes, together with The Evening Supervisor and Run Away.

Superstar Traitors and its video podcast Traitors Uncloaked is that this yr’s greatest title up to now, with the finale attracting a median viewers of 14.9 million viewers throughout BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina on July 15 attracted a peak viewers of 24 million viewers throughout BBC platforms.

Apart from screens, 93% of adults hearken to some type of audio content material – and 87% hearken to dwell radio each week, giving it the longest attain of any media sector.

Greater than 1 / 4 of UK adults now hearken to podcasts on a weekly foundation.

Kate Davies, group director for technique and analysis at Ofcom, mentioned: “As audiences more and more profit from an unimaginable selection of content material, competitors between conventional broadcasters, streaming companies, video sharing platforms and different types of digital media is fierce.

“However in face of those challenges, conventional broadcasters are displaying resilience with the ability to deliver hundreds of thousands of us collectively to observe or hear for giant, nationwide moments, in addition to rising their digital choices.

“To thrive and survive within the present media panorama, it’s extra vital than ever for corporations to proceed to grasp altering viewers habits and adapt their methods to fulfill individuals the place they’re.”