I read some of the headlines and dramatic opinion pieces forecasting the death of live TV that followed the publication of the 2023 Ofcom Media Nations report, as if it had been a bolt out of the blue.

We still watch live, linear TV for the big moments, says Ofcom Media Nations report

Gone are the days of regular mass audience viewing, with a dramatic increase in the multitude of platforms and specialist shows now available to us to enjoy.

But this isn’t to say the country doesn’t still come together for the big moments: England losing in the quarter finals of the World Cup was the most-watched programme last year, followed by the Queen’s funeral and Platinum Jubilee.

There are more demands than ever for our attention, but when it matters, we still turn to the TV for a ”shared viewing experience”.

It’s just that the concept of ‘TV’ has evolved, driven by technological change. Despite all the drama, broadcasters maintained their share of video viewers (60%) due to the growth of on-demand platforms.

Interestingly, of all the viewing to BBC One’s broadcasting of the Platinum Jubilee, 12% was via iPlayer. And the 8th series of Love Island attracted 39% of its audience on what was then ITV Hub.

And it isn’t just a ‘young person’s thing’; for the first time, Ofcom recorded a big decline in broadcast TV viewing among over-64s.

What’s happened is that we’re offered more choice of content based on our specialised interests, now fitting around our hectic lifestyles – why shouldn’t we take advantage of that, rather than being chained to what time a programme starts on TV?

How radio has embraced the changes to listening

Radio is experiencing changes too but seemingly adapting to them better.

Live radio is still the most popular form of audio, but we’re enjoying the different ways we can listen, be it on catch-up or streaming.

And online options have recently overtaken analogue in popularity, with smart speakers quickly catching up (DAB is still the most popular device.)

Despite the changes, the power of radio to connect the presenter with the listener remains very strong – in fact, commercial radio has never enjoyed such a high percentage share of listeners. The recent RAJARs show how we are increasingly seeking stations that fit our moods and interests – Greatest Hits Radio exploiting the gap in the market to appeal to disillusioned Radio 2 listeners, for example.

Radio stations and groups are embracing these changes, becoming multimedia powerhouses – diversifying into successful podcasts and social video like Global, or offering ad-free listens through their own apps, like Bauer, which allow them to gather better audience data and generate additional revenue.

 

‘News’ on social media can mean a lot of things

The one area of the report that I would like further detail was on social media. It claims news is the second most popular type of social media video amongst the over 15s – but ‘news’ is a very broad category; it can range from Ukraine to the legal row over Lizzo and the latest Liverpool transfer gossip.

And video formats and content types vary wildly on different platforms – what we watch on TikTok is different to YouTube.

Users watch a lot of video on social media says Ofcom report

I question the notion that short-form content is best and most-watched. Concise and snackable may be fine for one type of topic, but longer videos and podcasts are popular too, if engaging enough. I recently saw how Times Radio recorded 1 million views on YouTube for an hour long discussion on Russia. And some podcasts, like Joe Rogan’s and some of my wrestling ones, go on for several hours.

 

There’s a reminder again of the importance of YouTube, a neglected platform for some news publishers and businesses. We all are aware of the popularity of TikTok – still a thorny issue for politicians and the government, who feel paralysed to get involved in any form. I’ve been testing videos aimed at older generations (40 years since Knightrider started, for example) and there is clearly a growing older audience on there; it’s not just a ‘young person’s platform’.

 

@timtokgatt This is how Hoff met KITT… Iconic 80s programme – who didn’t want a talking car? And great theme tune too #knightrider #knightriderkitt #davidhasselhoff #michaelknight #80s #80sTV #TV #TVshow #1980s #USTV #ustvclips #ustvshow #tvclips #kitt #car #carsoftiktok ♬ original sound – TimTok Gatt

We shouldn’t forget about Snapchat, which is still very popular even though it’s fallen out of the spotlight – but no mention of Twitter as a video format, strangely.

How TV news needs to adapt to the changes in viewership

I watched a clip of Sky News’ report on this study (on Twitter), which claimed that TV news is still the place for big breaking stories. I’m not so sure. Twitter and TikTok are faster and quicker in terms of updates and video, albeit less reliable, on most stories. I agree for the huge moments, like the death of the Queen, we do switch on the TV but will still be on our phones too.

The challenge for rolling news channels and other content providers is how to adapt how they do things to the ever-changing environment; my old boss John Ryley used to talk about the need for constant change:

It’s not the cleverest or biggest news organisation that succeeds but the one most adaptable to change.

It’s no surprise that GB News is rivalling them in the evenings with strong opinionated current affairs programmes, when it’s just competing against a re-run of news reports. Being bold and shaking things up in how TV news is done, taking in some of the storytelling and production elements of social media, could boost viewership – and I don’t mean just in terms of linear viewing.

What does this mean for us trying to connect with audiences? It means that more so now than ever, a ‘one size fit all’ approach very rarely works. You need to segment who you are trying to target and engage them with different forms of content and messaging, adapted to the platform they’re watching or listening on.

Grabbing their attention is key – be it the visuals, the captions or the post copy, And always think of the person you’re trying to attract – why would they stop scrolling or flicking around and watch, read or listen to your content?

And like these Ofcom findings – be informed by the data but also trust your judgment and experience.

The 2023 Ofcom Media Nations report is here.

You may be interested in 7 practical takeaways from Ofcom’s Online Nation report