Half of Internet users say they have switched off broadcast TV

In just two years, the proportion of Internet users claiming to watch little to no linear TV in a typical day grew 22% to almost half (45%) according to a report just published by Ampere Analysis. Based on proprietary consumer research carried out with 54,000 adults aged 18-64 across 28 markets worldwide, the findings show that while younger groups are most disengaged with broadcast TV, 35% of those claiming to watch no linear TV were over 45 years old – a rise from 28% in Q1 2017. According to Ampere, despite broadcasters’ traditional audiences moving away, there are opportunities to retain viewers through a mix of live and event content, and via enhancing broadcaster streaming offerings.

Key findings:

•  In Q1 2021, 37% of Internet users claimed to watch little to no linear TV on a typical day.
• In Q1 2023, this figure was up to 45% - an increase of 22%. The number of high linear TV viewers – those who watch at least four hours of broadcast TV daily – has also declined in the same two-year time frame, down from 19% of respondents in Q1 2021 to 15% in Q1 2022. In comparison, the number of Internet users saying they watch 4+ hours of Video on Demand (VoD) content in a typical day is up from 58% in Q1 2021 to 62% in Q1 2023. It is far too early to write off linear TV. The stability of low-level viewing (less than two hours per day) suggests that many Internet users still tune in for key live events such as sports, major reality TV shows, and exclusive dramas. These content pillars should remain a key part of acquisition and commissioning strategies for linear broadcasters . Additionally, while consumers are turning away from linear broadcast TV, broadcasters’ investment in their own VoD services has ensured they can still engage those audiences who prefer to watch via streaming 2 Ampere Analysis 2023