This is Ofcom’s first annual Media Nations report.
The report reviews key trends in the television and audiovisual sector as well as the radio and audio sector. In these reports we provide data and analysis on traditional broadcast television and radio services, and look at the take-up and impact of subscription on-demand and streaming services.
The Media Nations report is a reference publication for industry, stakeholders, academics and consumers. It provides context to the work Ofcom undertakes in looking after the interests of people in the markets we regulate.
Media Nations: reports
- Take-up of superfast broadband and connected televisions is changing how people watch television programmes
- The rise of online video is changing the picture for the TV industry
- Audiences continue to watch and value public service broadcasting, especially news, children’s programming and UK-made programmes
- But there are risks to the PSB system which we will continue to monitor
- The viability of local TV services remains uncertain
- Digital listening is transforming the radio landscape
- But radio continues to be resilient
Media Nations: UK (PDF, 5.6 MB)
Correction: 11 March 2019
On page 21, the first sentence should read "Watching SVoD on and off the TV set is measured at 18 minutes a day per person, but higher, at 30 minutes, for those aged 16-34."
- In 2017 people in Northern Ireland spent an average of 3 hours 19 minutes per day watching broadcast television, down 17 minutes since 2016
- Spend by the BBC on programming for Northern Ireland fell by 14% in 2017
- Digital terrestrial television is the most popular TV platform in Northern Ireland
- Nearly 70% of PSB viewers were satisfied with PSB provision in 2017
- Digital radio listening is growing, but at 35% of all listening, it is much lower than in the UK as a whole
- Despite a decline in time spent viewing broadcast TV, people in Scotland watched more than any other UK nation in 2017
- There was an 8% real-terms decline in spend on new programming for viewers in Scotland in 2017
- Scotland had the highest take-up of cable TV in the UK in Q1 2018
- Viewers in Scotland continue to value public service broadcasting content, with 71% either satisfied or very satisfied
- Digital listening grows: ownership of DAB radios is higher in Scotland than in the rest of the UK
- In 2017 people in Wales spent an average of 3 hours 43 minutes per day watching broadcast television, down 17 minutes since 2016
- There was an 8% real-terms increase in spend on programming for viewers in Wales by the BBC and ITV in 2017
- More than half of homes in Wales (50.4%) have a satellite TV service
- Seven in ten PSB viewers were satisfied with PSB content in 2017
- Digital radio listening continues to grow in Wales
Interactive report
This accompanying data report provides interactive access to an extensive range of data.