Is Broadcast TV Dying in the UK?

Times, they are a-changing...

For decades, British households gathered around the television to watch live broadcasts from the BBC, ITV, and Sky. But the rise of streaming services, smart TVs, and social video platforms has completely changed the way we watch. So how many homes still watch broadcast TV in 2024, how many use streaming, and what will the next ten years look like? IS freesat going downhill?

The Current Picture (2023–2024)

    • Streaming dominates: Around 68% of UK households subscribe to at least one video-on-demand service such as Netflix, Prime Video, or Disney+. That number has levelled off after years of rapid growth.

    • Freeview is still strong: Around 16 million homes use Freeview or Freeview Play, making it the most widespread TV platform. For more than 10 million households, it’s the main way they watch.

    • Satellite is shrinking but significant: Sky’s satellite service is used in around 6 million homes, while Freesat serves roughly 1–2 million.

    • Broadcast share of viewing time: In 2023, 57% of in-home viewing was still devoted to live TV, recorded playback, or broadcaster catch-up services.

    • The TV set is still king: Even though habits are changing, 84% of viewing still happens on the television screen rather than phones or tablets.

    • Social platforms rising fast: YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch already account for about 49 minutes of viewing per person per day, with YouTube increasingly being watched on TVs instead of just mobiles.

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The Last 10 Years

The change over the last decade has been dramatic.

    • Streaming exploded: In 2014, fewer than one in five homes subscribed to a streaming platform. Today, more than two-thirds do.

    • Freeview stayed steady: Freeview has remained the largest platform by household reach, but its role shifted as connected TVs now also offer built-in streaming apps.

    • Satellite subscriptions declined: Sky satellite peaked in the 2010s but has gradually lost ground to streaming bundles and internet-based alternatives. Freesat has been steady in the low millions.

    • YouTube and TikTok disrupted habits: Younger audiences especially have switched their time to short-form and social video, making platforms like YouTube a direct competitor to traditional broadcasters.

Why Viewing Habits Changed

Several forces drove the shift:

    1. Smart TVs and broadband access: By 2023, nearly nine out of ten households had an internet-enabled primary TV. Switching from Freeview to iPlayer, Netflix, or YouTube is now seamless.
    2. Cheaper streaming tiers: Ad-supported and flexible monthly packages made streaming attractive compared to expensive pay-TV bundles.
    3. Superfast broadband rollout: Widespread high-speed internet made buffering a thing of the past, making streaming a reliable option for families.
    4. Changing tastes: Younger viewers value on-demand, short-form, and interactive content — something traditional linear TV cannot match.

The Next 10 Years: What’s Likely to Happen

While predictions are never perfect, the trends suggest a slow but steady shift:

 

    • Streaming levels off: Streaming will remain mainstream, stabilising at 70–75% of households. Growth will come more from ad-supported tiers than new subscriptions.
    • Broadcast TV keeps declining: Broadcaster content could drop from 57% of total viewing time today to around 35–40% by 2035. But it will remain crucial for live news, national events, and sports.
    • Freeview holds on: Because it’s free and built into TVs, Freeview will continue to exist in 40–55% of households, even if many use it less often.

    • Satellite shrinks: Sky’s traditional dish service will likely decline further as the company shifts customers to streaming and broadband bundles.

    • Social video keeps booming: Platforms like YouTube and TikTok will continue to grow, especially among under-35s, and will increasingly be watched on TVs rather than phones.

What It Means for Viewers

So, is broadcast TV dying? Not exactly. It’s shrinking, but it’s far from gone. For millions of households, Freeview or Sky still provide daily viewing. At the same time, streaming has gone from niche to normal in less than a decade. And social video is rewriting the rules of attention entirely.

The TV set isn’t disappearing — it’s just becoming the central hub for all forms of video, whether that’s BBC iPlayer, Netflix, or TikTok. The real question is whether future generations will see live broadcast TV as essential, or just one more app among many.

Key Takeaways

    • Two-thirds of UK households subscribe to streaming platforms.

    • Freeview remains the most widely used platform, with 16 million homes.

    • Sky satellite continues to decline, while Freesat stays in the low millions.

    • Broadcast TV still accounts for over half of viewing time, but its share is falling.

    • Social platforms like YouTube and TikTok are rapidly gaining ground.

    • By 2035, broadcast could fall to around 35–40% of viewing, with streaming and social platforms dominating.

Final thought: Broadcast TV isn’t dead — it’s evolving. Streaming and social video are the new normal, but for live sport, big national moments, and news, broadcast still has a place in UK homes. Freesat will be here for years yet, as will Freeview and be used alongside FREELY streaming services, 

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