Scotland's changing TV landscape

Scotland's changing TV landscape 03 August 2017

Seven in ten Scots watch multiple episodes back-to-back

New technology is changing when, where and how we watch TV

But live TV remains central to our TV-watching

Ofcom research reveals that TV watching in Scotland is changing, with seven in ten now watching multiple episodes of their favourite shows in a single sitting.

The finding is part of Ofcom's annual Communications Market Report, Scotland 2017, which this year reveals the changing landscape in Scottish television habits.

Nearly three quarters of adults in Scotland (74%) are using technology such as catch-up or subscription services to watch multiple episodes of a series at once, wiping out the wait for next week's instalment.

Around four in ten (38%) do so every week, and more than half (57%) do it monthly. This ability to watch multiple episodes back-to-back is often referred to as binge watching'.

Most binge-watchers (70%) find this type of TV viewing relaxing and enjoyable, but a third (33%) of adults admit the temptation to watch another episode has cost them sleep and left them feeling tired.

Perhaps as a result, more than a third (40%) of adult binge viewers are trying to cut down their TV viewing in some way. This includes rationing their viewing (18%), finding an alternative hobby (8%), but nearly one in ten have cancelled their TV subscription (9%).

Binge viewing has such a strong allure that almost three quarters (72%) of monthly bingers said they sometimes hadn't intended to do it, but the pull of the next episode kept them tuned in.

Spoiler alert!Many people's desire to keep up with programmes is driven by fear of someone spoiling a programme's ending (20%), while others found it gave them something to talk about with friends (29%)

Although half (53%) of Scottish viewers like the freedom of being able to watch whenever, wherever they like, viewing at home is still popular. Just under a half of people (46%) watch TV in their bedroom, while others tune-in in the kitchen (16%), the garden (6%) or the bathroom (9%).

Many people watch TV outside of their home while on holiday (23%), while commuting (18%) or in the pub (5%).

For many, watching TV is a solo activity. Six in ten (59%) subscribers to on-demand and streaming services in Scotland said they use it for alone time'.

Nearly half (47%) of people in Scotland said they watched content alone every day. Individual viewing sometimes happens in the same room as other household members, with each person watching content on different devices. A third (34%) said that this happens at least once a week.

Despite this, nearly seven in ten (67%) say that watching TV can bring the whole family together for a shared viewing experience. And more than two in ten (22%) adults in Scotland say they sit with family to watch the same TV programme or film on the same device every day, while more than six in ten (63%) do this at least once a week.

Live broadcast TV is still central to our TV watching. Half (51%) of people in Scotland said that if they wanted to watch TV, they would first switch on the TV and see what's airing on live broadcast TV .

Last year, Andy Murray's victory in the Wimbledon 2016 Men's Singles Finalon BBC One was the most-watched programme at the time of broadcast among adults in Scotland.

Glenn Preston, Ofcom's Scotland Director said: Technology has revolutionised the way we watch TV. Gone are the days of waiting a week for the next episode. Now people find it hard to resist watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.

But it's important to recognise that live television still has a special draw, and has the power to bring the whole family together in a common experience.

ENDS

CONTACTS

Alan Stewart

Regulatory Affairs Manager, Ofcom Scotland

0131 220 7303, alan.stewart@ofcom.org.uk

Jonathan Ruff

Regulatory Affairs Manager, Ofcom Scotland

0131 220 7302, jonathan.ruff@ofcom.org.uk

The wider communications market in ScotlandTV

Three of the top 20 programmes in Scotland in 2106 were shown only in Scotland. Still Game, BBC One's comedy series filmed in Scotland, was the most popular TV programme in Scotland in 2016, drawing almost 1.8 million viewers. Second to this was Only An Excuse, eighth was Hogmanay Live and the England vs. Scotland World Cup qualifier was nineteenth.

BBC One and STV's early evening local news bulletins attracted a greater share in Scotland than the UK average for the same weekday time slot. Reporting Scotland (BBC One) drew an average of 30.7% of all TV viewers in Scotland between 6.30pm and 7.00pm in 2016. STV News at Six attracted a lower share (25.6%) than Reporting Scotland, though it was still higher than the Channel 3 UK average share (19.6%) in the same time slot.

On average, people in Scotland spend an average of 3 hours 56 minutes per day watching television, slightly more than the UK average of 3 hours 32 minutes.

BBC, ITV Border Scotland and STV's spending on first-run originated content for viewers in Scotland increased by £2m in real terms from 2015 to £57m in 2016. However, this was a fall of £1m in real terms compared to 2011.

Scotland's first-run originated output fell by 21% from 2015 to 486 hours in 2016, the highest proportional decrease of all the UK nations. A large proportion of this fall was in the Channel 3 licence holders' non-news/non-current affairs programmes.

BBC Alba spending increased by 19% overall in real terms, with £16.4m spent on total programme output in 2016. Since 2015, spending on non-news and non-current affairs programmes increased by 21% in real terms, while spending on current affairs almost doubled, rising by 91%.

Telecoms

Take-up of some communications services is lower in Scotland than the UK average. Adults in Scotland are le

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