Ofcom’s 2021 Media Nations report
Adults in the UK spent a third of their time watching TV and online video, according to Ofcom’s annual study of the nation’s media habits. The pandemic caused an acceleration in existing viewing trends as people spent more time watching on-demand services.
- With people across the UK under some form of lockdown restrictions for most of 2020, more than 2,000 hours were spent watching TV and online video. That’s a daily average of 5 hours and 40 minutes – 47 minutes more than in 2019.
- 2020 was a landmark year for subscription video-on-demand but broadcast video-on-demand services continue to be the main destination for UK programming, much of which is fresh from broadcast TV.
- Public Service Broadcasters are taking more ambitious steps to reposition their businesses for an online-first future by making more library content available, and commissioning new programming with younger, digital audiences in mind.
- TV advertising revenue is set to rebound in 2021, but TV broadcasters are having to adapt to stay competitive.
- The Covid-19 restrictions meant that broadcasters and producers experienced significant difficulties in creating new original content.
- The radio and audio sector continues to take advantage of DAB and online platforms to innovate.