23% of all BBC television viewing is now delivered through the BBC iPlayer. For those aged 16-34 it is 50%. They generally watch for less time, spending under two hours a week watching BBC television, with only 37% watching on average over a week. These are among the latest facts and figures in the BBC annual report. Despite the positive tone of such publications, it is uncomfortable reading.
The BBC iPlayer is undoubtedly a success, but 17 years since it launched, it only accounts for a quarter of time spent watching the BBC, and the overall volume of BBC viewing has fallen.
4.5 billion hours were spent viewing the BBC iPlayer in the year 2024/25, up by 883 million or 25% from 3.6 billion the previous year. There were 8.9 billion iPlayer requests, up from 8.1 billion the previous year.
There are 15.2 million weekly active accounts using iPlayer, up from 14.1 million the year before. 29% of accounts are for those aged under 35, with 31% for those aged 35-54, and 33% for those aged over 55, with 8% unknown.
The average time spent per person viewing iPlayer per week is 81 minutes, up from 66 minutes the previous year. For those aged 16-34 the average is 58 minutes a week. 23% of all BBC television viewing is now delivered through the iPlayer, compared to 19% the previous year. For those aged 16-34 it is 50%, up from 47%.
79% of viewing on BBC iPlayer was for programmes on demand, with 21% live. 75% was through a television, with 9% on mobile, 9% on tablet, and 7% on computer.
67% of comedy viewing on the BBC is delivered through iPlayer, and 57% of drama viewing. That rises to 88% and 83% respectively for those aged 16-34. However, only 8% of BBC news and current affairs programming is delivered through iPlayer, rising to 19% for those aged 16-34.
There were 2.6 billion plays on BBC Sounds, up from 2.4 billion, with 4.8 million weekly active accounts. The average weekly hours played through Sounds, excluding smart speakers, was 17.3 million.
61% of listening on BBC Sounds was to live radio, with only 39% on demand. Only 6% of usage was for on-demand music.
The BBC boasts of 6 hours 34 minutes of viewing a week per adult in the United Kingdom, which is more than all the major online video subscription services combined. Yet it is still less than an hour a day. For those aged under 16 it is 4 hours a week.
BBC One, the main television channel, reaches 50% of the population on average per week. The average BBC One view watches for 7 hours 19 minutes a week.
64% of adults in the United Kingdom watch BBC television or view iPlayer on average per week. For those aged 16-34 it is just 37%, and they watch for an average of less than two hours a week. Ten years ago, the weekly reach of BBC television was 82%.
66% of adults believe the BBC is effective at providing content or services that set a high standard for quality. That is up from 62% the previous year but still seems hardly a number to shout about. Only 51% of those aged 16-34 say the BBC is effective at reflecting people like them.
There were 22,772 paid for television licences at the end of March 2025, compared to 23,131at the end of the previous year, a fall of about 360,000 in a year. There were a further million licences paid for by the BBC, mainly for those aged over 75 on pension credit, up by 56,000 on the previous year.
Licence fee income nevertheless rose from £3.66 billion to £3.84 billion as the cost increased to £169.50 per premises, or £84.75 for those that are blind, or £57.00 if you only watch in black and white.
Despite a rise in other commercial and grant income to £2.06 billion, producing total income of £5.90 billion, costs rose by £380 million, producing an overall deficit of £112 million, compared to a surplus of £233 million the previous year.