Television viewing figures published by the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) on 10 January reveal significant audience share declines for the BBC amid landmark gains for satellite TV last year.
The BBC’s share of TV audiences fell from 38 per cent in 2003 to just more than 36 per cent in 2004 as multi-channel TV platforms such as satellite, cable and digital terrestrial increased in popularity.
Declining audiences for the BBCs flagship terrestrial channels BBC1 and BBC2 are expected as more households adopt digital TV. But the figures are likely to increase pressure on the BBC to strengthen the performance of its new suite of digital channels. Part of the decline in the BBC’s share of viewing could be attributed to a marked move away from so-called makeover and reality TV shows towards more current affairs programmes and history documentaries.
BARBs figures also reveal that viewers subscribing to British Sky Broadcasting’s satellite service watched more satellite channels than terrestrial for the first time. Non-terrestrial channels accounted for 51 per cent of viewing in satellite homes last year, up from 49 per cent in 2003.