Young people now watch almost seven times fewer TV shows than people over 65, according to a report by regulator Ofcom.
According to this, 16- to 24-year-olds spend just 53 minutes in front of the television every day, a decrease of two-thirds in the last 10 years.
Those over 65, on the other hand, spend an average of almost six hours a day in front of the television.
This “generational gap” in viewing habits is wider than ever, according to Ofcom’s annual Media Nations report.
It attributed the gap to the use of television alternatives such as streaming services and short videos.
In its report, Ofcom said around one in five UK households had access to all three of the biggest streaming services – Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime.
It said 5.2million households now have access to all three, which would cost around £300 a year if they paid for them individually.
However, it acknowledged that number included free trials and people sharing accounts between households.
Ofcom also found that the number of households subscribed to at least one streaming service fell by 350,000 overall.
She blamed the pressure on household budgets as a result of the rise in the cost of living.
However, in a survey of people who have canceled their services, it found that three-quarters planned to renew their subscriptions if their circumstances changed.
“The streaming revolution is widening the divide between TV generations and creating a clear gap between the viewing habits of younger and older people,” said Ian Macrae, Director of Market Intelligence at Ofcom.
“Traditional broadcasters face stiff competition from online streaming platforms, met in part by the popularity of their own on-demand player apps, while television remains the go-to venue for major events that bring the nation together , like the Euro finals or the anniversary celebrations.”
In 2021 Ofcom found that screen time – the average time people spend watching video content across devices – reached a daily average of five hours and 40 minutes, almost a third of an adult’s waking time.
That was down by 25 minutes in the latest figures, which revealed people were spending an average of 59% of their screen time watching live or catch-up TV.
A third of adults in the UK now watch short videos – or videos under 10 minutes long – with 65% of 18-24 year olds watching them on a daily basis.
That number has skyrocketed for younger audiences, with 93% of 15-17 year olds getting short videos daily from YouTube, 90% on Instagram, and 73% on TikTok.
The report also looked at the types of short videos people watch online and found that “how to” content – like recipes or DIY – was viewed the most.
About 59% said they engaged with short news videos online, 32% said they watched videos about video games, and just over half of the adults surveyed said they watched videos posted by friends and family were posted online.
Add Comment