UK broadcaster UKTV has revealed the amount of viewers watching its streaming service during 2023 increased by 56 per cent year-on-year, well ahead of the 27 per cent growth the service enjoyed in 2022.
Views, active users and views per active user on UKTV Play increased year-on-year across every month in 2023, added the company.
The new UKTV Play 3.0 app was rolled out across numerous platforms and devices including Google TV, Apple iOS, Android, Amazon Fire and Freeview and all platforms saw year-on-year growth, most notably Amazon Fire which was up 71 per cent, said the broadcaster.
UKTV also launched four UKTV Play branded FAST channels in 2023 on Samsung TV, Amazon Freevee and Pluto TV, and the company it intends to launch FAST channels directly on UKTV Play in the coming year.
In total, UKTV’s linear channels’ SOCI (Share of Commercial Impacts) reached 8.81 per cent, the highest ever for the seven channel network.
Speaking about the figures, UKTV’s CEO, Marcus Arthur, said, “It’s been an extremely challenging year for the TV advertising market and the downward spiral has been much longer and deeper than many predicted. However, UKTV is weathering this storm well, achieving record SOCI and streaming growth last year as we continue to transform the business into a digital first and audience-led company.
“2024 will be another tough year for commercial broadcasters with the advertising recession continuing to bite, but I’m confident that UKTV will remain on its growth trajectory and I’m looking forward to uniting UKTV’s free TV and digital portfolio under new masterbrand U. Launching in the summer, UKTV Play will transition to U and our free-to-air linear channels will become U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W and U&YESTERDAY, better enabling us to leverage the brands within UKTV’s real estate as we make ourselves fit for a digital future.”
