U.K. TV Viewing on the Rise

LONDON: Britons increased their TV viewing by 17 minutes in 2010, more than double the European average increase of six minutes, according to a new report from IP Network, a subsidiary of the RTL Group.

The report, Television: International Key Facts 2011, says this growth has been driven largely by the shift to digital as well as strong programming in the areas of scripted dramas, global entertainment formats and sports.

With the shift to digital, 72 percent of E.U. households and 55 percent of Europeans are watching digital TV. The progress in TV technology is also a factor in this, with nearly 33 percent of European homes watching HD TV, along with 69 percent of homes in the U.K. Catch-up services have become increasingly popular, with 55 percent of Internet users watching time-shifted TV and 81 percent of catch-up users saying that they are watching as much TV as they were previously.

Strength in programming was another contributing factor for the rise in TV viewing. The study shows that audiences in the U.K. gravitated toward scripted drama in 2010. Downton Abbey was the most-watched new drama, and U.S. series such as The Mentalist, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy also proved popular. Talent formats, where local adaptations and Internet interactivity increases viewers, are the most successful entertainment programs, according to the report. The U.K. accounts for 44 percent of all entertainment formats to travel in 2010. Got Talent and The X Factor were among the most popular talent shows. Live TV and sports were also among the most-viewed programs. Football viewership accounted for the largest share of sporting event audiences in the European countries covered by the study.

The study also revealed that the U.K. advertising market grew by 14.1 percent in 2010, corresponding to the increased viewership. There was an overall 7.6-percent increase in TV adspend in 2010 in Western Europe.

Mark Pimbley, the U.K. director of IP Network, said: “This report illustrates that television is the number one medium for advertisers, and healthy audience levels, programming and technological innovation will continue to drive TV advertising growth in 2011.”