UK viewers still have preference for linear TV

Nine out of 10 Britons still regularly watch linear TV on the main screen, while 85% prefer the TV to other screens available to them, according to research commissioned by playout technology provider Broadstream Solutions.

According to a survey carried out for Broadstream by YouGov, 83% of UK viewers still use the TV as a social hub for the household, opting to all watch in the same room, although 28% of people say that they might also be on their smartphone or tablet device at the same time and 11% may be using that device to watch a different show entirely.

In relation to live entertainment shows including Britain’s Got Talent, The Voice or X Factor, 81% of viewers of these programmes prefer to watch them on TV and live rather than on catch-up or using any other device. This number rises to 88% for viewers of big sports events including Six Nations rugby and Wimbledon tennis.

The survey did find that broadcaster-based VoD options including iPlayer and 4oD have more than trebled in usage over the last decade, from 16% to 57%.

Other VoD services such as Netflix have also quadrupled with 1 in 5 consumers (20%) having used one of these options in the last 12 months (up from 5% in 2004). However, 21% of consumers also stated that they have not used any type of on-demand service in the last year.