Survey: BBC usage outpaces Netflix in UK
June 8, 2026



Television, streaming services, social media and online video have become embedded in everyday life, shaping how people consume information and entertainment.

A series of surveys from YouGov research explores how UK adults consume media, how much time they spend doing so, and the extent to which they believe media affects their ability to concentrate.


UK media consumption trends: TV, social media and streaming lead in 2026

Seven in ten UK adults consume TV content at least weekly (70 per cent), making it the most commonly used media format. Social media (67 per cent) and streaming platforms (64 per cent) follow closely behind.

Media habits, unsurprisingly, vary significantly by age. TV consumption rises steadily with age, from 49 per cent among 18–24-year-olds to 81 per cent among over-55s. Social media shows the opposite trend, reaching 86 per cent of 18-24s and 83 per cent of 25-34s, compared with 52 per cent of those aged 55 and over. Women are more likely than men to use social media weekly (72 per cent vs 63 per cent).

Streaming services have broad appeal across age groups, peaking among 25-34-year-olds (74 per cent), while gaming is concentrated among younger audiences, with around 45 per cent of those aged between 25 to 34 gaming weekly, compared with 21 per cent of over-55s. Print media remains strongest among older adults, reaching 53 per cent of over-55s versus 31 per cent of 18-24s.

Most popular media platforms in the UK

Among individual platforms and channels, regular media consumers are most likely to watch BBC at least once a week (62 per cent), followed by Netflix (55 per cent), books (46 per cent), ITV (43 per cent) and Instagram (43 per cent).

The BBC’s audience skews older, including 77 per cent of over-55s but only 41 per cent of those aged 18-34 who watch at least once a week. ITV and Channel 4 show similar age patterns. Netflix usage is highest among 35–44-year-olds (65 per cent) and 45–54-year-olds (63 per cent).

Social and music platforms attract younger audiences. Seven in ten 18–24-year-olds use Instagram at least weekly (70 per cent), half use TikTok (50 per cent), and two-thirds use Spotify (67 per cent). Women are more likely than men to use Instagram (49 per cent vs 38 per cent), while men are more likely to use X (23 per cent vs 13 per cent).

How much time do UK adults spend consuming media each day?

Around seven in ten media consumers (70 per cent) spend between one and four hours per day consuming media, including 29 per cent who spend two to three hours. A further 19 per cent spend more than four hours daily.

More than half of media consumers (57 per cent) say their ability to focus or pay attention has remained unchanged over the past year. However, 29 per cent report some degree of decline, compared with 9 per cent who say their ability has improved.

Nearly two-fifths (38 per cent) agree that they find it harder to concentrate on more than one thing at a time, while 36 per cent disagree. Younger adults are more likely to agree with this statement than older adults (47 per cent of 18-24s vs 28 per cent of over-55s).

The study was conducted online in May 2026.