TV Set Viewing Trends: 2020 Lockdown and Full Year 2019 [2020-043] 2 Notes and Acknowledgements for the Data Contained in This Report
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TV set viewing trends 2020 lockdown and full year 2019 5 May 2020 Julian Aquilina +44 207 851 0907 [email protected] Jamie McGowan Stuart +44 207 851 0906 [email protected] Thomas Thomson +44 207 851 0903 [email protected] 2019 extended many of the long- While trends vary significantly by running trends of the last decade, The UK lockdown since mid- demographic, news consumption but, notably, online video’s growth March has boosted TV time to has been a common catalyst for rate appeared to slow among levels not seen since 2014, with linear TV’s growth, benefitting the youngsters, in contrast to older broadcast TV and online video BBC above all. Although Sky News demographics. 35-54-year-olds each growing by nearly 40 has also flourished, Sky’s portfolio watching more VOD will have minutes/person/day has been seriously impacted by significant implications for linear the lack of live sport broadcasters down the line Related reports: COVID-19 TV impact: Permanent change without intervention [2020-037] TV's supply challenge: How COVID-19 affects programming and scheduling [2020-029] Pay-TV resilience: how this time is different [2020-039] TV set viewing trends: linear audiences tumble in 2018 [2019-009] If your company is an Enders Analysis subscriber and you would like to receive our research directly to your inbox, let us know at www.endersanalysis.com/subscribers TV set viewing trends: 2020 lockdown and full year 2019 [2020-043] 2 Notes and acknowledgements for the data contained in this report • This report explores recent trends in TV set use, covering 2020 to date—capturing the ongoing lockdown situation in the UK—as well as 2019 as a whole • For the lockdown period, we identify differences between demographics in how they have changed their broadcast TV, SVOD, and games console usage, followed by a closer look at broadcasters’ viewing performances and what implications these might have on people’s habits once restrictions are lifted • We then discuss the overarching trends in TV set use for 2019 and explore the rise in unmatched TV set use among 35-54- year-olds in particular, the effect of Sky Q take-up, and another look at broadcasters’ viewing performances • For the most part, this report splits 2020 into two time periods, (1) before and (2) after the week commencing 16 March (in which the UK Government issued advice to avoid non-essential travel and contact with others, as well as closing schools, restaurants, pubs, and other leisure facilities): ⎻ (1) Weeks 1-11 cover 30 December 2019 to 15 March 2020 ⎻ (2) Weeks 12-16 cover 16 March 2020 to 19 April 2020 ⎻ NB: Year-on-year (YOY) comparisons are based on the corresponding week number(s) in 2019, as opposed to equivalent dates Key definitions • Consolidated viewing refers to viewing which is live or timeshift/catch-up within 7 days of the original broadcast • Unmatched activities or unmatched TV use include: timeshift/catch-up viewing beyond 28 days, boxsets on broadcasters’ VOD players which did not air in the previous 28 days, SVOD and online services such as YouTube, physical formats (e.g. DVDs), non-referenced TV channels, surfing the web, video games, and browsing the EPG • When referencing TV set use or TV viewing, figures are listed per person, unless otherwise stated • Figures refer to industry-standard BARB-reported TV set data, i.e. excluding viewing taking place on other screens (computers, tablets and smartphones) TV set viewing trends: 2020 lockdown and full year 2019 [2020-043] 3 Long-sustained broadcaster viewing decline is in reverse due to 2020’s national lockdown • Since mid-March, with the UK spending more time at home, people have had YOY change in consolidated TV set viewing by age group significantly more time available for indoor leisure activities, resulting in a dramatic increase in TV set use, with noticeably more time allocated to 40% broadcast TV channels, SVOD/online video services, and games consoles 26% 28% 30% 23% 24% 19% 21% 20% 19% • Consolidated TV audiences over the first five weeks of lockdown were up 23% 20% YOY across the population, with increases for each age category 10% ⎻ Whilst 45-64s posted the largest surges, their trends over the last couple 0% of years were far more stable relative to younger audiences -10% ⎻ For 16-24s, for example, consolidated viewing fell by 18% in 2019 but is -20% up 24% since the start of week 12 in 2020—a 42ppt swing. The trends All 4+ 4-15 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ among children and 25-34s were similar FY 2018 FY 2019 Weeks 1-11 2020 Weeks 12-16 2020 • Time spent on unmatched activities (which has been on a consistent rise since Viewing which is live or timeshift/catch-up within 7 days of the original broadcast. adequate measurement began in mid-2013) saw an even greater boost [Source: Enders Analysis, BARB/AdvantEdge] proportionally, up 75% YOY, with dramatic gains across each age group, and up 52% compared to its level across the first 11 weeks of 2020 YOY change in unmatched TV set use by age group ⎻ In absolute terms, this increase (38 mins/person/day) was nearly as much 100% 88% 91% 82% as the increase in consolidated viewing (40 mins/person/day) 76% 80% 75% 73% ⎻ Combined, this translates into a 34% YOY increase in TV use1 60% 54% • Notably, even before the COVID-19 crisis had escalated in the UK (i.e. prior to 49% restrictions on movement), January and February had already seen the rate of 40% TV viewing decline slowing across almost all age categories, in contrast to the continued steep decline exhibited across 2019 20% 0% All 4+ 4-15 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 1Excludes the increase in timeshift/catch-up viewing 8-28 days post broadcast, for which full data is not yet available. NB: this is just a small component of total TV use—typically around 2-3%. FY 2018 FY 2019 Weeks 1-11 2020 Weeks 12-16 2020 [Source: Enders Analysis, BARB/AdvantEdge] TV set viewing trends: 2020 lockdown and full year 2019 [2020-043] 4 1. 2020 lockdown analysis 2. Overarching trends to 2019 3. Sky Q’s effect on unmatched use 4. Broadcasters’ 2019 performances TV set viewing trends: 2020 lockdown and full year 2019 [2020-043] 5 The lockdown effect: increase in TV use split between broadcasters and unmatched activities • Looking at this on a week-by-week basis, it is clear that people’s behaviours TV use by activity, individuals 4+ (mins/day) changed immediately in the week commencing 16 March (week 12), with a 250 Pre-lockdown Lockdown noticeable uptick in TV set usage 215 200 192 • TV use soared further in week 13, following the Prime Minister’s address to 185 170 the nation on Monday 23 March (instituting stricter lockdown measures), 150 to produce the highest week 13 level of broadcast TV viewing since 2013 100 59 94 50 52 • The increases in consolidated TV viewing and unmatched TV use stablised 53 after week 13, but both have remained comfortably above their 2019 levels 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ⎻ Besides the YOY comparisons (page 4), daily average consolidated Week viewing was up 14% for weeks 12-16 compared to weeks 1-11, whilst Consolidated viewing, 2019 Consolidated viewing, 2020 unmatched use was up 52% Unmatched use, 2019 Unmatched use, 2020 • As mentioned, consolidated viewing and unmatched use have contributed Week 16 was Easter in both 2019 and 2020. [Source: Enders Analysis, BARB/AdvantEdge] evenly to the additional 79 minutes/day of TV time per person YOY during lockdown Source of YOY rise in TV use* by age group, weeks 12-16 2020 • However, breaking this down by demographic, the source of each of their Additional time per day: increases in TV use differed greatly: All 4+ 51% 49% 79 mins ⎻ Although younger audiences watched more linear TV versus the 4-15 19% 81% 63 mins equivalent weeks last year, the majority of their additional TV time 16-24 22% 78% 72 mins was allocated to unmatched activities (c. 80% for each group under 25-34 25% 75% 81 mins the age of 35) 35-44 36% 64% 78 mins ⎻ The increase among 35-44s and 45-54s was much more balanced 45-54 58% 42% 90 mins 55-64 80% 20% 93 mins ⎻ Over-55s continued to rely very heavily on broadcast TV, which 65+ 86% 14% 72 mins accounted for 83% of their additional TV time versus the same period last year 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Consolidated viewing *Excludes timeshift/catch-up viewing 8-28 days after the original broadcast, which typically accounts for 2-3% of total TV use. Unmatched use [Source: Enders Analysis, BARB/AdvantEdge] TV set viewing trends: 2020 lockdown and full year 2019 [2020-043] 6 Significant difference in behaviour change depending on working status • As expected, the increase in TV use from pre-lockdown Change in TV use by working status, weeks 12-16 v weeks 1-11 2020 to lockdown was much sharper amongst those who were 60% in employment at the start of the lockdown, compared to 52% 53% those who were not 50% • This is not only due to these groups spending 40% proportionally much more time at home, but also likely a 29% 30% consequence of the mass furloughing of employees 19% 20% 14% • For both groups, the increase in consolidated viewing 8% has been similar in absolute terms (31 minutes/day for 10% the employed versus 28 minutes/day for those not in 0% paid work) All individuals 4+ Adults 16+ working 30+ Adults 16+ with no paid work hours/week ⎻ However, these came from very different bases: pre-lockdown, those not working averaged 5 hours Consolidated viewing Unmatched use [Source: Enders Analysis, BARB/AdvantEdge] 43 minutes per day of consolidated viewing versus 2 hours 21 minutes per day for the employed Change in TV use in London by working status, weeks 12-16 v weeks 1-11 2020 • More significantly though, pre-lockdown, adults in 70% employment spent over 50% more time than those not 60% 50% 53% working on unmatched activities (64 minutes/day versus 50% 42 minutes/day), but during lockdown these have risen 40% 27% by 34 minutes/day and (just) 12 minutes/day 30% 25% respectively, increasing the gap to over 80% 20% 20% 12% • In London, where on average people spend the most 10% time commuting,2 gains in consolidated viewing 0% exceeded those of the rest of the UK as a whole.