Julia Stoll
Research expert covering TV and video media
Television industry in the United Kingdom - statistics & facts
Television remains an essential source of news and entertainment for millions of consumers. This is also true in the United Kingdom, one of the largest and most dynamic TV markets in Europe. Data showed that the number of TV households in the UK has steadily increased since 2017 and that smart TVs have become the device of choice for many viewers. But even though the UK is known for having a vast selection of broadcasters and channels, viewers in the country have been spending less time watching broadcast television, and this trend only reversed after the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
The UK's television landscape
In 2022, television industry revenues in the UK amounted to around 20 billion British pounds. This marks a decline of over 700 million compared to 2021, despite soaring revenues from online television, which are on track to surpass traditional pay TV subscription earnings. Overall, pay TV in the UK is facing trying times as consumers are increasingly cutting the cord and switching from traditional cable or satellite TV subscriptions to online entertainment formats.Winds of change for the BBC
The BBC remains one of the most popular TV providers in the United Kingdom. The public service broadcaster is primarily funded by license fees, which allow it to circumvent commercials and remain politically impartial. In 2023, the BBC's license fee income amounted to 3.74 billion British pounds but based on the government's approach to reform the fee after 2027, the BBC and its programming are facing an uncertain future. And even though the controversial decision received some public backlash, it was backed by surveys that indicated that consumers would prefer to watch ads instead of paying the current annual fee.Rise of online video
The influx of video-on-demand (VOD) services to the media landscape has also altered UK consumer behavior and viewing preferences. Considering that these platforms allow viewers to access TV programs and movies around the clock instead of binding them to fixed broadcasting schedules, it is no surprise that around 19 million households subscribe to SVOD services. This demand for non-linear content has also enticed many of the region’s top TV companies to offer their services online and on demand. As of mid-May 2024, the total recorded viewing time for broadcaster video-on-demand (BVOD) services, such as BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, and Channel 4 VOD, was over 1.2 billion minutes. Furthermore, while spending on TV advertising in the UK declined between 2021 and 2023, BVOD ad expenditures reached a new record in 2023. This indicates that the television market in the United Kingdom has entered a time of transformation, with online TV becoming increasingly popular among consumers, content owners, and marketers.
