Press Releases

It's been a record year for BBC Vision's digital services with more people than ever watching BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

And BBC One and BBC Two have achieved the strongest viewing in peak (6.00-8.30pm) among terrestrial channels during a period of creative strength which has seen both channels launch new series and deliver public service television across the genres.

BBC One remains the UK's most watched channel.

Jana Bennett, Director, BBC Television and online content, says: "Ten years ago we had no BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC or CBeebies. Now these channels are enjoyed in the majority of British homes, delivering award-winning public service content to young audiences and a wealth of high quality arts and culture programming that the free market would simply not provide.

"And with BBC HD and the iPlayer we continue to pioneer the use of new technologies to add even greater value to the licence fee and accessibility to BBC programmes.

"The fact that BBC One and BBC Two have maintained their positions in a digital world testifies to their editorial strength and the impact of their programming, examples of which include Criminal Justice, Wounded and Small Island on BBC One and major seasons on Poetry and Modern Beauty on BBC Two as well as brilliant comedies such as The Thick Of It, Psychoville and Miranda."

This year BBC Three is on target to increase its share of 16-34 year olds to 4.4% (from 4%). Being Human was watched by 930,000 (6.3% of 16-34s) and 645,000 (9.4% of 16-34s) tuned in to Russell Howard's Good News. Forty-five per cent of 16-34 year olds watched the channel's highly acclaimed Adult Season.

Year-on-year growth on BBC Three is 9%, making the channel the most watched amongst 16-34s with 4.8 million watching every week.

Overall, reach among 16-34 year olds is up across the BBC's channels from 75% to 75.3%.

BBC Four's share will have grown from 0.95% to 1% and this year the channel recorded its highest viewing figures ever. The Women We Loved season of dramas was particularly successful with 1.4 million watching Gracie! and Enid (1.3m) helping the channel achieve its biggest audience for an evening since going on air.

Ahead of their Christmas schedules transmitting, BBC One and BBC Two lead terrestrial peak-time viewing – commanding peak time shares of 22.9% and 8.6% respectively.

CBeebies has grown its audience share from 15.4% to 16.4% and remains the most watched pre-school channel. CBBC reaches more 6-12 year olds than any other children's channel (34%).

And, in a year which has seen rapid growth of audiences to BBC iPlayer, November witnessed a record 59.6 million requests to view TV programmes on the BBC iPlayer compared with 53.2 million in October.

Notes to Editors

BBC One is Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival Channel Of The Year

BBC Four is Freesat Evening Digital Channel Of The Year

CBBC is BAFTA Children's Channel Of The Year and Broadcast Children's Channel Of The Year

DP