For the first time, half of the audience surveyed had access to satellite, cable or ITV digital.

Multichannel households

Satellite 2001 27% 2000 21% Cable 2001 19% 2000 14% ITV Digital 2001 5% 2000 2%

The report shows 46% of people said standards in 2001 had got worse - up 18% on 2000.

Authors of the report blame the rise on the timing of the survey, which was conducted shortly after Channel 4 screened a controversial edition of Brass Eye.

The programme brought in record numbers of complaints and prompted a dressing-down from the ITC.

The number of programme repeats was a major concern - more than half of those unhappy with standards named this as an issue.

Satellite access has increased

Violence, bad language and sex were also factors which troubled a fifth of those who complained of worsening standards.

The number of people who were "offended" by what they had seen during the year reached 42%, up from 29% on 2000 and the highest since 1992.

More parents stopped their children from watching certain programmes last year - 59% up by 10% on last year.

And nearly a quarter (23%) of parents said they were using blocking mechanisms to stop their children from having access to certain channels, up from 14% in 2000.

The same proportion of viewers believed advertisements could be a bad influence on their children's behaviour.