Connected TV And BVOD: Where The UK Audience Is Actually Going
Live TV viewing is falling, broadcaster streaming is rising, and YouTube takes 15% of all viewing. What the latest data means for how a smaller advertiser should split a TV budget.
Ofcom’s Media Nations report, published in July, shows how fast UK viewing is moving. In 2025 people watched an average of 90 minutes a day of live broadcast TV, down 12 minutes on 2024, while broadcaster streaming (BVOD) rose 3 minutes to 28 minutes a day. Broadcaster programmes still made up 53% of all in-home viewing, but YouTube alone accounted for 15% (informitv).
The ages that surprise people
The fastest BVOD growth is not among the young. People aged 55 to 74 watch around 40 minutes a day of broadcaster streaming, the most of any age group, and over-75s went from almost none in 2022 to just over 25 minutes. Among 25 to 34-year-olds, live TV is down to 18 minutes a day while BVOD is 25 minutes. If your plan assumes older audiences only watch linear, it is out of date.
BVOD is no longer a young-audience add-on. For many advertisers it is where a growing slice of the core audience now watches.
Who is selling it
Channel 4 told its upfront that it reaches 34 million UK adults a month, which it framed as 5 million more than the ad-supported tiers of Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ combined, with streaming minutes up 11%. It said adding Paramount next year takes combined reach to a claimed 38 million. Those are the sales house’s own figures, not independent ones. ITVX, Channel 4, 5 (formerly My5) and Sky’s AdSmart remain the main ways to buy broadcaster-quality streaming in the UK, and BT launched a new TV platform in October that bundles NOW, TNT Sports, Netflix and Apple TV.
BVOD, CTV: what is the difference?
- BVOD is the broadcasters’ own streaming services, ITVX, Channel 4 and 5 (formerly My5). You get TV-quality programmes and broadcaster ad rules.
- Connected TV (CTV) is any advertising on a smart TV, including BVOD but also YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video ad tiers and other apps. Quality and measurement vary much more.
How a smaller advertiser should split the budget
- Linear for reach. Live TV still delivers the biggest audiences fastest, especially in peak.
- BVOD for frequency and targeting. Use it to reach lighter TV viewers and specific regions or audiences, and to top up frequency.
- Other CTV with care. Ask how impressions are verified and whether ads run on a TV screen or a phone.
- Measure as one plan. Count the total reach of linear and streaming together, not as separate reports.
The independent buyer’s view
For most smaller advertisers the right mix is still linear-led with BVOD alongside, not streaming-only. The share is moving every year, though, and a plan built in 2024 will now underweight streaming. See our BVOD advertising guide and connected TV guide for costs and buying options.
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