YouTube has firmly cemented its place in the UK’s living rooms, emerging as the nation’s second most-watched media platform after the BBC, according to Ofcom’s latest annual report on television and video consumption. The platform has overtaken ITV in viewing share and continues to attract a rapidly growing cross-generational audience, from children as young as four to older adults exploring new habits.
The figures show that in 2024, UK viewers spent an average of 39 minutes a day on YouTube, with 16 of those minutes consumed on television sets. Among younger viewers, the shift is even more pronounced—20% of children aged four to 15 turn on their TVs and head straight to YouTube. It has become the first stop for many in Generation Alpha, edging out Netflix, BBC One, and even BBC iPlayer as the initial destination of choice.
But this isn’t just a youth trend. Viewers aged 55 and older nearly doubled their YouTube viewing time over the past year, from six minutes a day in early 2023 to 11 minutes by year’s end. Those aged 16 to 34 are now spending 18 minutes daily watching YouTube on TVs alone, showing that the platform is not confined to mobile screens or laptops.
As viewing habits continue to evolve, traditional broadcasters face increasing pressure to adapt. “Scheduled TV is increasingly alien to younger viewers, with YouTube the first port of call for many when they pick up the TV remote,” said Ed Leighton, Ofcom’s interim group director for strategy and research. “But we’re also seeing signs that older adults are turning to the platform as part of their daily media diet too.”
Much of YouTube’s growth is attributed to how its content has matured. Half of its top-trending videos now mirror the formats of established broadcasters, such as long-form interviews and entertainment-based game shows. This evolution is forcing public service broadcasters to rethink their digital strategies. Channel 4 has led the way, placing a significant portion of its programming on YouTube in a bid to grow its reach. ITV followed suit with a new partnership deal announced at the end of last year. The BBC is currently debating how much content to distribute on the platform, but more material is expected to migrate there soon. Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, recently informed staff that YouTube growth and youth engagement will fall under the remit of the corporation’s new AI department.
Yet with opportunity comes risk. As broadcasters push more of their content onto YouTube to reach elusive young audiences, they’re also conceding valuable viewer attention and ad revenue to the platform. Ofcom has advised that partnerships with YouTube must be conducted on “fair commercial terms” to ensure the long-term viability of public service broadcasting. Its chair, Michael Grade, has even called on lawmakers to explore legislation that would give greater prominence to British public service content on platforms like YouTube. The overall time people spent watching video and TV content at home remained stable, averaging four hours and 30 minutes a day in 2024. However, the share of that time spent on traditional broadcast television continued to fall—down to 56% from 71% in 2018. On average, live TV viewing dropped 4% from the previous year, with audiences spending just two hours and 24 minutes a day on traditional channels.
About Author
Leave a Reply