Scores of Britons are turning to American streamers over the BBC, a new Ofcom report has revealed, amid “growing challenges” for the national broadcaster.
According to the regulator’s annual Media Nations report, Netflix has now eclipsed the BBC as British viewers’ go-to platform when it comes to looking for something to watch – at 26 per cent vs 25 per cent.
The review also found that 15 per cent of audiences opt for ITV when deciding what to watch.
The amount of time people spend watching YouTube on television sets has doubled since 2022 to an average 19 minutes a day per person – with even older viewers now increasingly turning to the platform.
Across all home devices, total YouTube viewing rose to 41 minutes per person a day – up from 33 minutes in 2022.
Weekly YouTube viewing among Britons aged 75 and over has risen from 28 per cent in 2022 to 33 per cent last year.
According to Ofcom, the revelations have outlined “growing challenges” for traditional British broadcasters as global streaming platforms and online video services continue to make strides among consumers.
Although UK streaming platforms like BBC iPlayer, ITVX and 5 have enjoyed a nine per cent year-on-year increase, it was not enough to offset the decline in audiences for traditional channels.
Netflix has now eclipsed the BBC as the British viewers’ choice of platform when it comes to looking for something to watch
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Last year, 70 per cent of people in the UK watched content from traditional broadcasters – including live TV, recorded playback and on-demand services – for at least 15 minutes in an average week.
This figure is down from 73 per cent in 2024 and 78 per cent in 2022.
Ofcom’s group director for strategy and research, Kate Davies, said: “As audiences increasingly benefit from an incredible choice of content, competition between traditional broadcasters, streaming services, video sharing platforms and other forms of digital media is fierce.
“But in face of these challenges, traditional broadcasters are showing resilience with the power to bring millions of us together to watch or listen for big, national moments, as well as growing their digital offerings.
The BBC has insisted it can ‘deliver for audiences across the UK for generations to come’
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“To thrive and survive in the current media landscape, it’s more important than ever for companies to continue to understand changing audience habits and adapt their strategies to meet people where they are.”
Netflix screened the two most-watched programmes overall in 2025 – K-Pop Demon Hunters and Adolescence – with the BBC so far this year screening eight of the 10 most-watched shows, including The Night Manager and Run Away.
The BBC’s biggest title last year was Celebrity Traitors and its video podcast Traitors Uncloaked, with the show’s finale attracting an average audience of 14.9 million viewers across the broadcaster’s platforms.
Meanwhile, the BBC’s coverage of England vs Argentina saw 24 million viewers across platforms at its peak.
The report also highlighted the growing popularity of audio content among Britons
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The report also highlighted the growing popularity of audio content among Britons – with 93 per cent of adults reporting listen to some form of audio content and 87 per cent listening to live radio weekly.
More than a quarter of adults in the UK now listen to podcasts every week.
A spokesman for the BBC said: “As the report highlights, eight of the 10 most-watched programmes of 2026 so far have been on the BBC, demonstrating we remain where people turn to for moments that bring the nation together, despite a highly competitive global media market.
“The report also notes that BBC content accounts for 18 per cent of all video viewing, compared with 9 per cent for Netflix – meaning audiences still spend around twice as much time watching the BBC.
“We are already transforming the BBC’s content and services to meet changing audience habits, including through our YouTube partnership, and the ongoing Charter Review is an opportunity to make clear choices that will ensure the BBC can deliver for audiences across the UK for generations to come.”