TV viewing among UK 18-24s moving online rapidly

The proportion of UK 18-24 year olds watching TV via a TV set is lower than those in older age groups including 25-34 year-olds, but the proportion watching TV via a laptop or PC is significantly higher, according to a survey carried out by YouGov ahead of the Guardian Changing Media Summit next week. 

According to the survey, 67% of 18-24 yearolds watch all forms of linear or on-demand TV via a TV set on a daily basis, compared with 79% of 25-34 year-olds, 83% of 35-44 year-olds and 84% of those aged 55 and over. This compares with 23% of 18-24 year-olds watching linear or on-demand TV via a PC or lap-top on a daily basis, a significantly higher proportion than the 10% of 25-34 year-olds and 11% of 35-44 year-olds that do the same. Seven per cent of over 55s watch TV in this way on a daily basis.

Although on-demand and catch-up viewing on PCs and laptops is the predominant form of viewing on these devices, a quarter of 18-24 year-olds said they watch the majority of live TV through a PC/laptop, compared with 45% of the same age group that watched most live TV via a TV set. Only 6% of 25-34 year-olds watched most live TV via a PC or laptop, with the proportion for other age groups being about half that again.

Nine per cent of 25-44 year-olds said they watched the majority of live TV through Smart TVs, higher than those in other age groups. Smartphones and tablets are not widely used to view live TV currently.

Seventy-nine per cent of all UK viewers watch on-demand TV. While 15% of 18-24 year-olds watch on-demand primarily through a TV set, compared to 27% of 25-34 year-olds and 36% of over-55s, a majority of the youngest age group – 55% – watch on-demand primarily through PCs and laptops, compared with 30% of 25-34 year-olds and 21% of over-55s. BBC iPlayer was the most-watched service among all age groups together, watched weekly by 30%, followed by TV programmes on YouTube with 23%, ITV Player with 17% and 4oD with 13%. Among 18-34 year-olds, 54% watched iPlayer weekly, with almost half – 48% – viewing TV on YouTube on a weekly basis.