Film Services Prove Popular In Digital Homes
After much delay and anticipation from the TV industry, the first week of digital television viewing figures, for the week ending 7 November, have been produced by BARB. Only available to BARB subscribers, the figures currently cover just Sky Digital homes. Unsurprisingly, given the host of new channels which digital satellite offers, share of viewing for the main terrestrial channels was significantly lower than the UK average (see Terrestrial Channels’ Share Falls Back In Digital Homes). ITV’s share for the week, for example, dropped from 32% in all homes to 23% in Sky Digital homes.
It is still very early days in terms of both the measurement of digital audiences and the audience’s relationship with the new platform and its augmented selection of channels and services. Whilst one week’s viewing figures are unlikely to provide the model for future viewing patterns on digital TV, the initied channels in Sky Digital homes. This is true inal picture painted by these BARB figures is that ITV, BBC1 and, perhaps surprisingly, BBC2, are the three most watch terms of both audience size and the average minutes viewed, according to these early figures.
A look at the amount of time each of the top 20 channels is being watched illustrates how some stations with only a small reach* can still clock up a substantial number of minutes viewed from those who do tune in. This is the rationale behind niche channels, where audience figures may initially look small but those interested in the channel are likely to tune in often and for some time.
For example, these Sky Digital viewing figures show that Channel 5 has a higher weekly reach (50%) than Sky One (47%), but a lower amount of average minutes viewed. This means that more people flick to Channel 5 than Sky One at some point in the week, but they are watching for a much shorter time than those who stick with Sky One. C5’s average minutes for the week were 85; Sky One totted up an average of 123 minutes’ viewing per person.
Most of the channels which appear in the top 20 by audience are familiar brands – Living, Nickleodeon, Sky’s film channels and UK Gold – alongside the main terrestrial channels. In fact, there are only two new, digital-only channels to make it into the list. Both are extensions to Sky’s Premier film service – Sky Premier 3 and 4 – illustrating the allure of frequently-starting films to digital customers.