As the media industry continues to change it can feel like new technology and habits are radicalising the way we watch TV. Not so long ago the choice for households was limited to four terrestrial channels and a dilemma of whether to opt for Betamax or VHS to record what was missed. But in recent years there has been an explosion of choice with countless channels to watch and the ability to catch up or watch video on demand and have TV streamed live to your tablet or phone.
For us at the BBC it’s vital we understand, and where possible anticipate, these changes so that we can continue to give audiences great programmes and services in a way that meets their needs. We recently undertook some research to delve a bit deeper into how people are watching TV. So what was the insight we got when we asked a series of questions about what people are watching, how and who with?
Firstly, despite the vast array of ways to watch, live TV remains very much dominant. BARB (Broadcasters Audience Research Board) figures tell us this (89% of TV viewing is live) but our research showed again the critical role of live television. More than eight out of 10 - 82% - of people know what they want to watch and for 76% of these it is live TV. What became clear is the reason why it’s so important and therefore enduring - it makes it easy for us all to connect to the world around us and because we like familiarity.
Most of the time – again 82% - that people sit down to watch video of any variety they know what it is that they want to watch. Even if they don’t know what they want to watch, they most often try to find something familiar. Whether people are watching linear TV, their personal video recorder or video on demand (VOD), when people don’t know what to watch, 41% look for something familiar compared to 13% who look for something new.
That isn’t to say though that on demand isn’t important. It’s a fantastic supplement to live television and for audiences the two sit happily in combination. Our research showed that of all viewing occasions across any device, 3% were on free video on demand such as BBC iPlayer.
We also looked at how people choose what they want to watch when they don’t know. The dominant rule is that people check the TV guide first (around two thirds), then go to the personal video recorder, then check on-demand and then subscription on demand such as Netflix.
No matter what people end up watching, our research showed that 89% of all viewing is on the main TV. For those without a traditional TV it seems the bigger device the better with 57% choosing to watch on a laptop, 6% on a tablet and 2% on a mobile.
So in some ways, our viewing habits may not have changed as radically as some have suggested. Just look at the millions who tuned in on Sunday to see Strictly. But that’s not to say that things aren’t changing – and that’s one of the challenges the BBC will face in making sure it remains relevant as we head towards Charter Review.
Young people - 16-24 year olds – do watch TV differently. 75% know what they want to watch and when they do 10% go straight to video on demand and 3% to subscription video on demand. If they don’t know what to watch 9% go to free video on demand such as iPlayer and 2% go straight to subscription VOD such as Netflix. So this younger group do watch video on demand more – and other online options such as YouTube. Even then, live TV hasn’t disappeared altogether – it remains important because when they know what to they want to watch, 59% watch live. Will these habits continue as this group ages? The truth is no one knows.
So yes, viewing habits of young people are changing. For other groups, maybe the way we watch TV isn’t as different to 10 or 20 years ago as some would have you think – though I suspect few would be bold enough to predict we’ll be saying the same in another 10 years. The challenge we at the BBC face is making sure we can meet the needs of our audiences whatever their viewing preferences – great content on your TV at the same time as we make sure we’re bringing the wonders of new technology to audiences, with more ways than ever to watch and listen.
The research comprised of 2,606 online interviews. A representative sample of 61 households also allowed cameras into their homes to track what they watched, how and with whom.
Margo Swadley is Head of Audiences for Television
