Observed Signal · Feb 19, 2026 · Research Report · Source: VideoWeek · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
UK YouTube Viewing on TVs Soars Across All Ages
Barb’s 'What People Watched in 2025' report finds YouTube viewing on TV sets rising sharply across age groups, with 50% of children (4–15) watching YouTube on TV weekly (up from 38% in 2022) and over‑55 viewing almost doubling to 20%. Barb reports 54% of YouTube viewing now occurs on TV sets and says broadcasters are increasingly distributing programming on the Google-owned service to reach audiences less likely to use their channels or apps. Average monthly TV-set reach on YouTube in 2025 was 4.9 million for ITV, 3.4 million for Sky and 2.5 million for Channel 4, though each remains a small share of their total monthly reach. The report highlights changing switch-on behaviour, persistent live viewing (45% of TV-set viewing in Dec 2025) and heavy catalogue viewing on SVODs such as Disney+. Barb frames YouTube as a substantive, evolving part of the UK AV ecosystem with implications for discovery, regulation and monetisation.
Barb's audience data shows material shifts in TV-set viewing toward YouTube and cross-platform distribution by broadcasters, affecting discovery, monetisation and measurement strategies across CTV and broadcast ecosystems.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Barb's 'What People Watched in 2025' report: 50% of children aged 4–15 watch YouTube on TV weekly, up from 38% in 2022.
- YouTube viewing among over‑55s nearly doubled to 20% between 2022 and 2025.
- 54% of YouTube viewing now takes place on TV sets.
- Average monthly TV-set reach on YouTube in 2025: ITV 4.9 million (7.6% of individuals), Sky 3.4 million, Channel 4 2.5 million.
- Live viewing represented 45% of total identified TV-set viewing in December 2025, down from ~60% in 2022.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Barb Data: YouTube Surpasses BBC in UK Reach
Barb’s latest data shows YouTube has overtaken the BBC for total cross-screen reach in UK TV and broadband households in the last quarter of 2025, with December reach at 51.9 million for YouTube vs 50.9 million for the BBC. Using a 15-minute viewing threshold, the BBC leads YouTube by about 6 million. Despite YouTube’s lead, broadcasters as a group still reach more people overall (56.4 million in December). BBC remains top for daily minutes (48:06) and share of total identified viewing (19.75%), while YouTube logs 41:27 and 17.02%. On TV sets, YouTube reach is 37.5 million, behind BBC (50.0m), ITV (44.7m), and Channel 4 (42.2m), but YouTube’s TV-set share (8.73%) is higher than Channel 4 (5.4%) and Sky (6.8%). The piece notes that reach/minutes alone don’t reveal content quality or engagement, highlighting nuances in Barb’s data.
Monster Jam Primetime Series Debuts Oct 1 on FAST Platforms
Monster Jam announced that its weekly streaming series, Monster Jam Primetime, will debut on October 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on the Monster Jam Channel. Two new episodes will premiere every Thursday across nine free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, VIZIO WatchFree+, Pluto TV, LG Channels, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV, and Xumo Play. Episodes will also be available on the Monster Jam YouTube channel. The series features highlights from the 2026 season, including Racing, Skills competitions, and Freestyle, with analysis and behind-the-scenes content.
NBCUniversal Cuts Hundreds of Streaming Jobs
NBCUniversal is cutting hundreds of employees from its global streaming technology organization, with the deepest impact on its European Sky unit and some US-based staff. The reductions, affecting engineering and quality-assurance roles supporting streaming products, were announced internally on Wednesday. Due to UK labor rules, Sky-side dismissals will follow a consultation period. The move comes as Comcast prepares to spin off NBCUniversal, including Peacock and Sky, next summer. Company leaders frame the reorganization as aligning resources with future growth and ensuring effective operation post-separation. Peacock recently reported its first adjusted EBITDA profitability, but investor pressure on traditional media remains. The cuts follow an earlier round in March after Showmax shut down.
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