Flash Entertainment

UK consumers are now watching nearly two hours more live TV every week, as hit shows such as The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing drive a ratings boom, a new report has said.

According to a study compiled by TV marketing Thinkbox, the average viewer watched 27 hours, 34 minutes of linear TV a week in the three months to September 30, an increase of 1 hour, 50 minutes on the same period last year. During the quarter, viewers watched an average of 3 hours, 56 minutes of TV every day.



Using audience data from BARB, Thinkbox found that commercial channels such as ITV1 and Channel 5 are continuing to perform strongly, accounting for 62% of total viewing.

British consumers watched 17 hours, 5 minutes of commercial TV every week during the quarter, up by 49 minutes on last year and up 1 hour, 22 minutes on the five-year average.

Over the three months, the average viewer also watched 44 ads a day on commercial channels, up from 43 in the same period in 2009. The number of commercial impacts (ads watched at normal speed) was up by 5% in the nine months from January to September, and up by 21.3% on the five-year average. 

According to Nielsen, more than £2.8 billion was spent on TV advertising during January to September, an increase of 19.2% on the same period last year. Nielsen's figures also do not include investment in TV sponsorship, advertiser-funded programmes, interactive services or online TV.

The Thinkbox report further revealed that 93.2% of all viewing is linear, broadcast TV, while just 6.8% is done via timeshift services. However, in homes with services such as Sky+ or Freeview+ that figure increased to 13.3%. 

Thinkbox believes that the growth in linear TV viewing is partially due to Britain's switch to digital TV, as Ofcom recently revealed that 92.7% of UK homes have now converted.

Launched in January, BARB's updated measurement system has also played a part, as it more accurately captures second set and on-demand TV viewing figures. 

The majority of consumers (89%) are using video on-demand services to catch up on missed programmes, while the economic recession is motivating people to stay in more.

Tess Alps, Thinkbox's chief executive, said: "It is increasingly obvious that viewers want to watch TV live and as it happens; they turn to on-demand services primarily to catch up with something they've missed.

"These new figures reiterate the enormous appeal of linear TV in the UK as new ways to watch TV grow. This enduring popularity stems from a basic human desire to share experiences and it shows no sign of diminishing."

Last week, the BBC launched a new cross-platform audience measurement system and released figures that confirm BBC One is still the most watched UK channel.