Ofcom report shows average weekly TV viewing grew in 2005

A report released Aug. 10 from UK communications regulator Ofcom indicates that young viewers in Britain are tuning out television and spending more time online.

According to the research, “The Communications Market 2006,” 16- to 24-year-olds spent seven hours less per week watching television, but 21 minutes more time online per week in 2005 than in the previous year. However, when all age groups were taken into account, UK TV viewers spent 11 more minutes in front of their televisions than in the previous year.

The report also showed that acceptance of digital services grew. As of March 2006, 18.3 million homes in the UK received digital TV services. Digital-only viewing share hit 30 percent in 2005.

The report also pointed out that Telewest and Sky launched HDTV services in time for the 2006 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.

For more information, visit: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/overview06/.