Viewing figures - on the night - for TV programs have become largely irrelevant. Because of the huge numbers of busy people who use streaming/catchup/iPlayer sites to watch episodes - when they want/can/have the time.

The House of Cards/Kevin Spacey concept has really taken off. Netflix will provide all the episodes up front - and you can binge watch or look at them at your leisure. Or store them on your smart device(s).

You never hear people these days saying 'got to go - have to be home in time for...' Or 'what happened on...' Its all available whenever you want it. Wherever you might be.

In my opinion though, there's one exception. Sport. This is much better live - even if you don't know the score or result. This view is not shared, however, by the billions who watch the Premier League every week.

From virtually every country on earth - 200+

People I know don't watch TV much, they just tend to stream shit on Youtube or just use Netflix.

Millions of people do watch TV but it's just reality rubbish that is always on these days.

ITV have axed the wrong the programmes in the last few years.

Hope Warren United it back on this year or next.

I hardly ever watch catch up tv, partly because I am too impatient and bad tempered to sit through either adverts or the wretched thing stopping all the time, and also because I don't like being trapped in front of the laptop.

Viewing figures on the night have most definitely not become 'largely irrelevant'. The biggest terrestrial programme with go up from, say, 10 million to maybe 11 or 12 million once catch-up and other options are consolidated (I think the record is still an episode of Sherlock, which managed about 3m extra). That hardly makes the original figure 'largely irrelevant'. The timeshifted and on demand add-ons are more relevant to those minority channels that barely register any percentage at all on the night, but the pace of the transformation in terms of habits is being grossly overstated. In fact, the latest research suggests delayed viewing might actually now be slowing.

Honey, if you stream you won't have ads - and if you have Chromecast (£35 dongle from Google; there are probably others), you can watch on your TV.

However, to use Chromecast - you will need Wi-Fi.

SP17 wrote:
Honey, if you stream you won't have ads - and if you have Chromecast (£35 dongle from Google; there are probably others), you can watch on your TV.

However, to use Chromecast - you will need Wi-Fi.




Oh! Thanks SP. I have never heard of chromecast but I shall look into it.

Pru wrote:

the latest research suggests delayed viewing might actually now be slowing.


Seemingly not for sport.

Over 200 countries watch the Premier League - and don't seem to mind whether its live or not.

Although 1 billion people have watched some of these English games - live.

Download the Kodi app. Thousands of live tv stations, movies, tv shows and music on demand. I love it. Like having a virtual satellite dish.

I love 'binge' watching. Spent 2 days watching Breaking Bad. A long weekend with the West Wing.

the only thing is I get a bit flat once I've seen the entire series. But there's always another one.