Friday, March 31, 2017

The average age of a BBC1 customer is now 61 - the 'youthful' C4 is 55

Here is the headline in the Guardian newspaper. Most of the media covered the story.
Dying habit: why the average BBC1 viewer is 61
Broadcasters may be desperate for younger audiences but older telly-watchers dominate – the average ITV fan is 60, 55 if they prefer Channel 4. How worried should programme-makers be?

It is often the case that when you see the research you are not surprised by it makes you think and think hard. The question is if this is a cohort or an ageing effect?

Will there always be a supply of younger people that get the TV watching habit, maybe when they have their own children, or is watching these channels only for oldies.

Seems to me that as the choice of content and viewing devices continues to explode then the very concept of a channel (like the BBC) becomes an anachronism. Sure the BBC will be used online along with Netflix, Amazon and a zillion other media sources.

Where the UK differs from other countries is that you must pay the Government for the luxury of watching a TV - this being the way the BBC is funded. Now if most young people don't watch it why should they pay. That is a question I would be asking.

Even more reason to scrap the TV licence. Dick Stroud



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