Observed Signal · Jul 29, 2026 · Research Report · Source: VideoWeek · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
CTV Market: Ofcom: Younger Viewers Reach Streaming Saturation
Ofcom's Media Nations report finds that while SVOD viewing time rose, overall at-home video viewing in the UK declined in 2025 as younger audiences face competition from social media, gaming and other online entertainment. SVOD/AVOD viewing increased slightly, driven by drama and older viewers, but SVOD household penetration has plateaued (70% in Q1 2026). SVOD revenues grew 18% year‑on‑year to £5.17bn, while commercial broadcaster revenues fell 3% to £4.83bn. The report highlights hybrid monetisation (ad tiers and bundling), increased BVOD revenue, and rising collaboration and aggregation among broadcasters and streaming services.
An authoritative Ofcom market report provides actionable audience, revenue and monetisation trends (SVOD revenue growth, subscription plateauing, broadcaster revenue decline) that affect publisher monetisation, ad allocation and platform strategy across the industry.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Ofcom's Media Nations report finds overall at-home video viewing in the UK declined in 2025.
- Proportion of UK households with an SVOD service was 70% in Q1 2026, two percentage points higher than in 2021 (citing Barb).
- Viewing time on SVOD and AVOD services increased by 3 minutes per person per day in 2025 year-on-year.
- SVOD revenues rose 18% year-on-year to £5.17 billion in 2025; commercial broadcaster revenues fell 3% to £4.83 billion.
- Netflix accounted for 9% of total viewing time in 2025 and was present in 61% of UK households (Barb data); Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ were present in 46% and 26% respectively.
Connected Companies & Entities
11 Entities mappedWarner Bros. Discovery
Global media owner spanning streaming, studios, publishing, gaming and ad sales.
“Sky has expanded its bundled offering to bring together several streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Hayu, within a s...”
NBCUniversal
Diversified media group spanning TV, streaming, studios and advertising.
“Sky has expanded its bundled offering to bring together several streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Hayu, within a s...”
Netflix
Streaming platform with subscription and advertising revenue.
“Meanwhile SVOD/AVOD services accounted for around 16 percent of total viewing, with Netflix making up 9 percent of viewing time in 2025....”
Disney+
Global streaming platform for Disney-owned film and TV content.
ITV
UK broadcaster combining streaming, advertising and television production.
“Last year saw Channel 4 announce a deal to bring video content to Spotify, while Channel 4 and ITV both distribute full-length content on Yo...”
Amazon
Global commerce, cloud, advertising and subscription platform company.
“According to Barb, Netflix is now present in 61 percent of UK households, followed by Amazon Prime Video (46 percent) and Disney+ (26 percen...”
Spotify
Audio streaming platform with subscriptions, ads and creator tools.
“Last year saw Channel 4 announce a deal to bring video content to Spotify, while Channel 4 and ITV both distribute full-length content on Yo...”
Sky
UK subscription TV, streaming and advertising sales company.
“Sky has expanded its bundled offering to bring together several streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Hayu, within a s...”
Barb
UK TV and video audience measurement currency provider.
“Citing Barb data, the report found that the proportion of UK households with an SVOD service in Q1 2026 (70 percent) was only two percentage...”
Channel 4
UK broadcaster monetising free streaming, television and advertising inventory.
“Ofcom also noted increasing levels of collaboration between broadcasters (such as Channel 4’s integration of UKTV’s U into its streaming ser...”
The Walt Disney Company
Global media owner spanning streaming, sports, studios and advertising.
“According to Barb, Netflix is now present in 61 percent of UK households, followed by Amazon Prime Video (46 percent) and Disney+ (26 percen...”
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