A large majority of the UK population is watching more TV content since the outbreak of COVID-19, according to a recent study conducted by Netgem TV. The leading TV service has recently completed a survey with over 750 respondents to explore the different ways in which consumers across the UK and Ireland are turning to television to escape from the daily routine in lockdown.
The study confirms a surge in TV consumption across the UK and Ireland and reveals that TV Series are the most popular and binge-worthy form of lockdown entertainment, with nearly two-thirds of viewers (73%) watching more across all genres. TV is closely followed by Films, watched by 68% more viewers, and News, watched by an extra 57%. A third (33%) of viewers are also watching more YouTube, which is available directly through the Netgem TV platform. Increased news consumption is also likely to be one of the reasons for 33% of overall consumers confirming that they are watching more live TV than they did pre-lockdown, despite the loss of live sports coverage.
The price paid for TV content varies widely across the UK
The study also found that the average consumer in the UK and Ireland now spends £25/month on TV services. By age group, consumers between 41-50 years old are the highest paying customers, with over 40% spending more than £50/month on their TV services. By contrast, 74% of 21-30 year olds spend less than £20/month. This Millennial generation is far more likely to consist of cord-cutters too, with over 55% of respondents not having a TV provider but paying for two or more streaming services instead.
There is also a significant difference in the price paid for TV services across the UK. Consumers in Greater London and South East England are the highest paying, with a majority of consumers paying over £50/month for their TV services. This peaks at close to 70% in London, due to 90% of Londoners having at least one additional streaming service and tending to opt for a more expensive TV provider such as BT or Sky. At the other end of the country, Scotland spends the least on TV services; over 46% of TV consumers pay under £20/month and a significant 25% pay under £10/month.
“The increased demand for series and films shows that the average Briton wants escapism at this time. TV services should be focussing all efforts in making this possible by putting together the best content offer at the lowest possible prices, so that customers can choose providers by content alone rather than having the pain points of comparing shifting prices and cross-referencing limited time deals,” says Sylvain Thevenot, Managing Director, Netgem TV.
Netgem TV offers content for all tastes, for kids and adults, ranging from the most recent film releases, the hottest series combined with sports and news. Recently, the platform dropped its monthly subscription to £9.99/month and included a one month free trial.
