Has TV streaming reached a tipping point in the UK?

TV streaming has reached a tipping point in the UK, with nine in 10 survey respondents saying they are TV streamers versus only seven in 10 who use traditional pay-TV services such as Sky, BT and Virgin Media. This is reflected across age groups: 77% of 57-70-year-olds now stream, and 31% had added more services in the past year, according to Roku’s study of UK consumer TV viewing behaviour and preferences.

Conducted by National Research Group, a leading global insights and strategy firm, on behalf of Roku, “The Streaming Decade” report established that streaming enables premium content opportunities for viewers. Live sport, traditionally the bastion of live pay-TV, has now become almost as popular on streaming services with 51% watching sport via such services versus 55% on pay-TV. Alongside this, movie fans love streaming, with 68% of consumers stating that having access to a new movie release is a key reason they would try a new streaming service.

Streaming now represents a valuable opportunity to advertise to consumers too. Half of those surveyed say they have ad-supported services, while 21% of ad-funded video-on-demand (AVOD) users are “cord-shavers” who have downgraded their pay-TV services in the last 12 months. Four in five AVOD viewers use another device while streaming, which also creates cross-screen advertising prospects.

“The findings highlighted in our ‘The Streaming Decade’ report show that TV in the UK has reached a tipping point, and streaming is becoming the norm for all ages,” said Mirjam Laux, VP International at Roku. “With more and more new and interesting content available to consumers, streaming has become the dominant force for consumers. And where consumers go opportunities follow for brands to engage them with compelling, best-in-class advertising that’s relevant to their interests. Streaming is clearly the future of TV,”  she added.

The research also found that more than half of consumers say they are going to watch as much TV as they did during the pandemic even as restrictions loosen. Of those who say they will watch as much or more, 40% say it’s because they love television. At the sime time, 73% who have signed up to ad-funded TV (AVOD) services, 73% plan to keep it, while 79% plan to keep subscription services (SVOD). TV streamers are loyal – almost two-thirds of UK consumers have never subscription-cycled (where users sign up, cancel, and then sign up again). Only 3% have definite plans to cancel a subscription streaming service in the next year.